Deer by a Stream

Alexandre Calame

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts a landscape with a small stream running diagonally across. The foreground shows two figures near the water's edge, one standing with a stick and the other sitting down. A textured tree dominates the left side, with rough bark and a large canopy. The horizon is low, with a rising hill in the distance under a sky filled with wispy clouds. The sky is delicately painted, contrasting with the detailed foliage and tree trunk. The color palette is monochromatic in shades of black and white. In the background, more trees and a human figure are visible up the stream.