Collections: American Art: Sunset

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Sunset

Although Blakelock is better known for his eccentric, moonlit landscapes, he did practice conventional sketching in the manner of Hudson River School painters. In this sheet torn from a sketchbook, the artist captured the general composition in pencil, probably en plein air, and then painted over the initial sketch. His pencil outlines and descriptive notations—such as “warm gray” and “floating cirrus”—are still visible through the watercolor in the clouds.

• Artist: Ralph Albert Blakelock, American, 1847-1919
• Medium: Transparent and opaque watercolors and graphite on cream wove paper
• Place Made: USA
• Dates: July 1, 1876
• Dimensions: 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm)
• Signature: Signed lower right: "R A Blakelock"
• Inscriptions: Pencil inscriptions and color notations throughout sheet, some are obscured by watercolor and are only visible with infrared photography: upper left "floating cirrus / Blue" and "light cloud / back"; upper right "Blue" and "warm gray / against / del. pur [i.e., delicate purple]"; in center "palette edge," "gold" and "warm / Purple"; along bottom edge (obscured by watercolor): "Sunset July 1st. 1876"
• Collections: American Art
• Museum Location: This item is not on view
• Accession Number: 27.9
• Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. E. LeGrand Beers in memory of Edwin Beers
• Image: Overall, 27.9_acetate_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
Ralph Albert Blakelock (American, 1847-1919). Sunset, July 1, 1876. Transparent and opaque watercolors and graphite on cream wove paper, 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. (16.5 x 10.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. E. LeGrand Beers in memory of Edwin Beers , 27.9 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 27.9_acetate_bw.jpg)