The Hermit (Il solitario)

John Singer Sargent

1908

Oil on canvas

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A bearded man in simple clothing reclines in a rocky, wooded landscape, with a deer nearby. The scene is rendered with visible brushstrokes and a naturalistic palette. The artist's use of a muted palette of taupe, stone, beige, and earth tones enhances the serene and contemplative mood of the wilderness setting.