Cedar Trees in a Park 1840 - 1870

George Richmond created "Cedar Trees in a Park" using graphite and red chalk, during a time when the aesthetic and philosophical ideas of Romanticism influenced art and culture. Richmond, who moved in intellectual circles, would have known that the Romantics were particularly interested in the sublime aspects of nature and in humankind’s emotional connection to it. The focus isn’t on botanical accuracy but rather on capturing the feeling evoked by the copse of trees. There is a stillness, a quietness, emphasized by the muted palette. The sketch is imbued with a sense of reverence, characteristic of the period, but also deeply personal. As you look at "Cedar Trees in a Park," consider how Richmond used the landscape to convey something profound about human experience.