Lilies and Sparrow

Lilies and Sparrow — Joseph Stella. c. 1920.

Medium: Colored pencil, silverpoint, and white gouache. Dimensions: Sheet: 72.4 x 57.1 cm (28 1/2 x 22 1/2 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Joseph Stella made nature studies throughout his career. For this simple, spare composition he used metalpoint, a medium associated with the Italian Renaissance and rarely seen in the 20th century. Although metalpoint cannot be erased, its unique qualities -- precision, delicacy, and sharpness -- appealed to Stella and he often combined it with colored pencils to achieve a brightness that resembled oil painting. The careful execution and large size of this sheet suggest that Stella considered it a finished work of art.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.