Beech, from The Park and the Forest 1841

"Beech" (1841) by James Duffield Harding is a lithograph depicting a serene woodland scene. The print, now housed at The Art Institute of Chicago, showcases Harding's mastery of detail and his ability to capture the essence of natural light and shadow. The composition focuses on a grove of majestic beech trees, their branches reaching towards the sky. The foreground features a group of deer resting under the trees, adding a sense of tranquility to the scene. This piece is a quintessential example of Harding's meticulous style and his contribution to the development of landscape art in the 19th century.