The image shows a man standing outside a building on the right-hand side of the scene. A waterway winds through the composition towards the left, with trees lining the horizon. A small boat is on the bank of the waterway. Colors are warm and muted, with earth tones dominating and cool blues and grays in the sky and water. The brushstrokes are soft and painterly, creating a tranquil atmosphere.
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.

Old Man by a River

Elihu Vedder (American, 1836 - 1923)

c. 1863

Medium
gouache and watercolor on light brown paper
Classification
Drawing
Dimensions
sheet: 15.4 × 10.7 cm (6 1/16 × 4 3/16 in.)
Culture
American
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CG-W
Credit line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Mark Borghi
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