Artwork preview

Study for The Battle of La Hogue [recto]

Benjamin West

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a scene with a dynamic composition. The viewer's perspective seems to be from land or a low point near water. The background includes distant ships and smoky clouds. The drawing style is loose and sketch-like with expressive pen strokes. The color scheme is monochromatic, using brown ink on a cream background. The scene includes boats and figures in the water, ships with billowing sails, and smoke or explosions. More ships can be seen in the distance amidst smoke, indicating a busy and potentially combative maritime setting.

Artwork Details

Date
1778
Medium
pen and brown ink on laid paper
Dimensions
5337 × 3376 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original