A Cottage In Ireland

In "A Cottage in Ireland," J. André Smith depicts a whitewashed, thatched cottage sheltered by trees on a quiet stretch of open countryside.

In "A Cottage in Ireland," J. André Smith captures a modest farmhouse set low on a broad, open landscape. The whitewashed cottage, with its thatched roof and stout chimneys, sits behind a low stone wall, flanked by a dense stand of trees at left and a small outbuilding at right. Distant hills rise along the horizon, and a few poles stand at far left. Smith gives most of the sheet to sky and empty field, letting the cottage and trees form a dark, compact band across the lower half of the composition. Soft, velvety lines in the foliage and roof contrast with the pale walls, and long horizontal strokes of tone sweep across the sky. The result is a calm, traditional view of rural Ireland.