Avenue of Pollard Birches and Poplars

A long, somber avenue of trees stretches into the distance, their branches stark and bare, creating a powerful sense of melancholy. This drawing, made in 1884, seems to draw inspiration from François Coppée’s poem “Tristement,” which describes a grieving widow walking down a similar lane of “half-denuded plane trees.” The artist used reed pen and iron-gall ink on tan laid paper, and over time, the ink has shifted from black to a deep brown, lending a golden, autumnal warmth to the paper. This chemical change has also caused the close hatchings to bleed and merge, softening the contrasts and further enhancing the work’s muted, sorrowful atmosphere. The scene captures a quiet, introspective moment, inviting contemplation of loss and the passage of time.