Design from Gray, Maine 1800 (no. 1): From Proposed Portfolio "Maine Wall Stencils"

Mildred E. Bent

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a red bird perched on a stylized tree. It depicts a simplistic and folk-art inspired design with a red bird sitting atop a tree with a straight trunk and bending branches adorned with large, oval-shaped green leaves. The painting has a clean and minimalistic aesthetic, with the tree and bird created using solid areas of color with no elaborate shading or additional detail. The boldness of the red against the soft background creates a striking yet serene composition. The text below suggests that it is inspired by a wall stencil from Gray, Maine, dated 1800. This is in the style of American folk art.