The painting shows an enormous tree with a hollowed base where two people, potentially young boys, are taking shelter. The boys sit together in the hollow base of the tree, one appearing to read a piece of paper. They both have light skin and wear hats and warm clothing. To the left, a small box sits at the base of the tree, and beyond that is a wooden barrel that appears to be attached to a sled. The ground surrounding the tree is covered with snow, with small brown patches peeking out. It is surrounded by more small brown trees, and in the background near the top right corner are distant…
Gallery mode Full size at the museum

Window mode follows your eyes with your camera, in this browser only: no picture or position leaves your device.

The Truants

painter Eastman Johnson (American, 1824 - 1906)

c. 1870

Medium
oil on academy board
Classification
Painting
Dimensions
overall: 59.37 × 68.58 cm (23 3/8 × 27 in.) ; framed: 83.19 × 94.3 × 8.89 cm (32 3/4 × 37 1/8 × 3 1/2 in.)
Culture
American
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CAB
Credit line
Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, William A. Clark Fund, Gallery Fund and through the gift of Louise S. Thompson, 1963)
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art