On the Rhine (recto), and Mother and Child (verso) 1841

Elizabeth Murray created this watercolor of the Rhine, rendered in a limited palette of neutral tones, sometime in the 19th century. The composition is divided horizontally: the top half captures the sky and distant mountains in hazy, diluted washes, while the lower half depicts a shoreline with architectural structures and figures in more detailed, darker strokes. Murray skillfully uses the formal elements of line and value to guide our eyes through the landscape. The eye moves from the darker foreground up toward the lighter background, which creates an illusion of depth. The artist’s approach evokes a sense of tranquility, a feeling that emerges from the harmony between the landscape's subdued coloration and balanced structure. Note how the artist uses the economy of line, particularly in the reflections on the water, to suggest the ever-changing qualities of light. In its formal and structural emphasis, Murray’s watercolor invites us to contemplate the relationships between observation, representation, and emotional experience.