George SAND (1804 - 1876) Landscape with trees Dendrite and white gouache highlights. (Small stains). 14.5 x 23 cm Crushed watercolor, also known as dendrite, is a technique used by George Sand in 1874, at the end of her life. The technique consists of pressing a green or brown stain firmly between two sheets of paper (often not too greasy bristol), previously brushed on and sometimes embellished with ashes. The top sheet is then removed, and the raw-looking result evokes a vegetal texture. George Sand wrote of her technique: "This crushing produces veins that are sometimes curious. My imagination helps me to see woods, forests or lakes, and I accentuate the vague shapes produced by chance." (Testimony of Henri Amic, George Sand. Mes Souvenirs, Paris, 1891, cat. exp. Paris, 2004, George Sand, une nature d'artiste: exposition du bicentenaire de sa naissance, p. 161-162).