Artwork
Two Shattered Trees; and Study for "The Road" [verso]
![Two Shattered Trees; and Study for "The Road" [verso], by John Singer Sargent, graphite, 1918](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/john-singer-sargent--two-shattered-trees-and-study-for-the-road-verso--d939707a8d4f8e76-w1024.webp)
Two Shattered Trees; and Study for "The Road" [verso] is a graphite drawing by John Singer Sargent. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
John Singer Sargent’s drawing titled *Two Shattered Trees; and Study for “The Road”* (verso) is a graphite work on wove paper dated 1911. The piece is modest in size and is part of the drawing collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, where it is displayed alongside other Sargent studies.
Subject & Meaning
The front side of the sheet portrays a solitary woman dressed in a flowing, silk‑like garment. Light catches the fabric on her shoulder, while the remainder of her form recedes into shadow, creating a quiet contrast between illumination and darkness that hints at a fleeting, intimate moment.
Technique & Style
Sargent employs graphite to render the figure with fine, almost tactile lines. The medium’s capacity for subtle gradations allows him to suggest the sheen of silk and the softness of skin, while the wove paper’s smooth surface enhances the delicate modeling of light and shade.
History & Provenance
Created in 1911, the drawing reflects Sargent’s late‑career interest in drawing from life and in preparatory studies for larger compositions. It entered the National Gallery of Art’s collection through donation, becoming part of the museum’s extensive holdings of the artist’s graphic work.
Context
During the early twentieth century Sargent turned increasingly to drawing as a means of exploring form and atmosphere. This piece exemplifies his practice of producing multiple studies on a single sheet, juxtaposing a landscape study on the verso with a figure study on the recto, revealing his method of parallel investigation.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Belle Époque and Edwardian-era luxury.
![Sheet of Studies [recto and verso], by John Flaxman](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/john-flaxman--sheet-of-studies-recto-and-verso--acf1b2004c9fc50f-w320.webp)