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Adolphe Monticelli, 'Sunset', about 1882-4

About the work

Overview

The sun sets roughly in the centre of the picture, behind two tree trunks. The thick yellow paint expands from the sky to the foreground, and Monticelli has applied it using short, directional brushstrokes which allow him better to convey the light. Portions of the wooden panel used as a support are left partly visible, especially along the borders, to play a part in the final image. In fact, the warm tone of the support gives vibrancy to the composition.

This is a companion piece to the artist’s Sunrise. Both works are typical of Monticelli’s later style, and the subjects are characteristic of his Provençal landscapes. This landscape was probably painted outdoors, in the last years of the artist’s life, around 1882–4.

Key facts

Details

Full title
Sunset
Artist dates
1824 - 1886
Date made
about 1882-4
Medium and support
oil on wood
Dimensions
31.8 × 44.8 cm
Inscription summary
Signed
Acquisition credit
Presented as part of the 'Harry Wearne Collection of Twelve Paintings by Monticelli' to the Tate Gallery, 1939; transferred, 1956
Inventory number
NG5008
Location
Not on display
Collection
Main Collection

About this record

If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.

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