The Horse Shoe on the Shenandoah, Virginia

Joshua Shaw

National Gallery of Art

The image is a landscape drawing with a slightly elevated point of view. The horizon is placed near the middle of the image, marked by faint, rolling hills that stretch across the page. To the left, a large tree with sparse foliage rises above the scene, with its slender branches reaching toward the center. The brushstrokes are light and unhurried, employing simple lines to outline trees and land contours, suggesting a sketch or preparatory work. The drawing is monochromatic, utilizing brown ink on a beige paper background. Close to us, more loose lines depict the uneven ground and small clusters of trees that add depth. The overall simplicity of the strokes and the limited palette evokes a calm and timeless landscape.