The Wine-Dark Sea, Sunium

Joseph Pennell

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts ancient Greek ruins, possibly a temple, with sturdy columns standing. The view is from a lower angle, showing the structures reaching toward the sky. The horizon is low, almost hidden by the ruins which extend on both sides. The drawing shows varying styles of brushstrokes or pencil strokes, from soft shading in the sky to bold lines outlining the stone textures and architectural details. The color palette is monochromatic, focusing on light and shadow contrast. Broken columns and stones are scattered on the ground, leading the eye toward intact columns in the center and vanishing into the sketched sky in the background.