Study of a Palm Tree (recto); Mountain Landscape (verso)

Study of a Palm Tree (recto); Mountain Landscape (verso) by Nicolas Poussin, dating from approximately 1630-1645, is a significant example of French Baroque drawing and reveals the artist’s disciplined approach to nature study. The recto side, featuring the detailed Study of a Palm Tree, was executed using pen and rich brown ink over preliminary traces of black chalk, allowing Poussin to establish the overall structure before defining the fronds and texture with sharp, deliberate linework. The complementary verso features an evocative Mountain Landscape, rendered solely in brown ink, capturing the monumental forms typical of the Roman Campagna where the artist lived and worked.

Poussin, celebrated for his classical history paintings, placed great emphasis on accurate natural observation as a foundation for his narrative compositions. This intimate, double-sided sheet demonstrates his characteristic method of isolating natural forms, such as the distinct structure of the palms, for later incorporation into grander mythological or religious scenes. These studies provided the necessary visual library to construct his highly controlled, idealized landscapes. The resulting technique showcases Poussin’s mastery of contour and volume, creating dynamic light effects using minimal hatching.

Classified as a drawing, this work offers crucial insight into the preparatory stages of a seventeenth-century master’s output. Today, the piece is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it serves as a touchstone for understanding the linear precision of Baroque draftsmanship. While the original drawing remains a unique object in the Museum’s holdings, high-quality images of masterworks from this period frequently enter the public domain, making accurate reproductions and prints available for study worldwide.