The Door of a Grotto 1760 - 1770

drawing, print

drawing

amateur sketch

toned paper

print

pencil sketch

incomplete sketchy

charcoal drawing

possibly oil pastel

underpainting

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

watercolor

"The Door of a Grotto" is a watercolor on paper by British artist William Marlow, dating from around 1760-1770. The work, currently held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, depicts a darkened grotto opening. Its rough-hewn door is obscured by a rocky, verdant landscape, conveying a sense of mystery and intrigue. Marlow's masterful handling of light and shadow adds depth and realism to the scene, capturing the atmospheric quality of the natural world.