Nocturne

A funnel-shaped morning glory bloom in pale violet with white streaks unfurls against a soft blue wash, with broad green leaves at left and a thin stem curling below. The loose watercolor and gouache layers, over charcoal, create a dreamy, nocturnal atmosphere in the blue ground.

Look closer: A thin stem with a bud curls along the lower right edge of the sheet.

Artist

John La Farge

Date

ca. 1885

Medium

Watercolor, gouache, and charcoal on off-white wove paper adhered to wove paper

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

3083 × 3712 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bequest of Miss Louise Veltin, 1937