a) Along the Marne (recto); b) Study for Along the Marne (verso)

Jean-Louis Forain

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a figure standing on the right side. The horizon is a third from the top of the composition. Hills extend across the landscape. The brushstrokes suggest a sketch-like technique with swift lines. The color palette is monochrome with shades of gray, and subtle touches of red and orange. A person is depicted close by with sparse detail and rocks are scattered further away. Soft hills and a faint suggestion of a structure or more rocks are in the distance. The scene is simple, focusing on lines and minimal shading to suggest form and space.