The image shows a downward perspective, appearing to be from a mountainside looking into a valley. The horizon is partly visible but mostly hidden by mountains and trees. The artwork features light and sketchy brushstrokes with graphite or pencil marks adding texture to trees and rocks, giving depth to the scene. The color palette is mostly monochromatic, using shades of gray to depict shadowed and sunlit areas. Closest to the viewer are rocks and vegetation leading down to the valley, with the scene transitioning into thick woodland and rocky slopes in the background.
Gallery mode Full size at the museum

Avalanche in an Alpine Landscape

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (French, 1824 - 1898)

c. 1870

Medium
black and white chalk on blue paper (verso)
Classification
Drawing
Dimensions
overall: 35.9 x 23.9 cm (14 1/8 x 9 7/16 in.)
Culture
French
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CG-E
Credit line
Maxwell Fund
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art

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