A fluid watercolour study by Denman Waldo Ross, created in 1893 as a direct interpretation of Tintoretto's dramatic Saint George and the Dragon.

This watercolour study by Denman Waldo Ross captures the dramatic narrative of Saint George and the Dragon, a direct interpretation of the Venetian master Tintoretto. Ross, an American polymath and collector who held a position at Harvard University, frequently travelled to Europe to study historical painting techniques. His approach here reflects a focus on the structural composition and colour theory that defined his later pedagogical work.

The composition maintains the dynamic energy of the original Renaissance source. The central action features the mounted knight engaged with the beast, while the figure of the princess occupies the foreground in a state of agitation. Ross employs a fluid, expressive application of watercolour, allowing the pigments to bleed into one another to suggest the atmospheric conditions of the scene. The palette is dominated by deep teals, forest greens, and earthy browns, punctuated by the muted red of the princess's garments and the knight's cloak.

Unlike a finished gallery painting, this work functions as a record of Ross's engagement with the Old Masters. The visible brushwork and the rapid, gestural quality of the figures indicate a focus on capturing the movement and light of the original composition rather than achieving a polished finish. The work provides insight into the methods of late nineteenth-century art education, where copying established masterpieces was a standard practice for understanding the mechanics of pictorial space and dramatic tension. The margins of the paper retain the artist's annotations, further identifying this as a working study created during his time in London in 1893. The piece offers a glimpse into the private practice of a man who would go on to influence the development of art theory in the United States through his systematic approach to design and colour.