Artwork preview

In der Wüste (In the Desert)

Carl Haag

National Gallery of Art

The painting depicts a ground-level view of a desert landscape. The horizon is placed two-thirds up the image, showing distant mountains and a clear blue sky with scattered white clouds. In the foreground is a sun-bleached carcass of a large animal, possibly a camel, with prominent visible bones. The brushstrokes are detailed, capturing the sand texture and the structure of the animal. The color palette includes muted earth tones, pale blue sky, and stark white bones, emphasizing the image's dryness and isolation.

Artwork Details

Date
1859
Medium
watercolor over graphite on cream wove paper
Dimensions
5216 × 1848 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
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