Sketchbook of American and Italian Subjects

Artist:William Trost Richards

Medium: Sketchbook containing drawings in graphite on wove paper

Dates:1855-1856

Dimensions: 4 1/16 x 6 5/8 x 3/8 in. (10.3 x 16.8 x 1 cm)

Collections:

Accession Number: 75.15.2

Catalogue Description:
Sketchbook with 32 pages of drawings in graphite of landscape subjects, and a few buildings and figures; most pages are off-white with a few tan and gray pages interleaved; book has black covers with embossed serpentine pattern and gilded decoration on spine and "ALBUM" on front. Inside front cover: sketch of figure and rock (?), inscribed upper left "80 Teillerc $ [illegible] / 4 x 6 ½ [o/2] each" p. 1: a few scribbles and mathematical calculation, signed upper right "William T. Richards / Philadelphia" p. 2: [recto] landscape, inscribed lower left "June 21st"; [verso] rough sketch of figure on path in landscape. p. 3: blank p. 4: landscape with mountains and lake (continues onto part of p. 3 verso), inscribed lower left "June 21st". p. 5: [recto] landscape of hills with cabins, inscribed lower left "June 21st"; [verso]: rough sketch of hills p 6: [recto] panoramic landscape of boats on lake surrounded by mountains, inscribed lower left, "June 21st"; [verso] sketch of building exterior with arched door and elaborately framed windows p. 7: rough landscape sketch p. 8: [recto] landscape sketch; [verso] very rough sketch of mountains p. 9: [recto] hills; [verso] sketch of town in valley p. 10: [recto] very rough sketch of rock; [verso] landscape with trees and rocks (upside down) p. 11: rough sketch of trees p. 12: [recto] landscape with trees; [verso] head of man in profile p. 13: [recto] landscape with trees and building; [verso] bell tower p. 14: [recto] rough sketch of rocks; [verso] rocks p. 15: rocks along coast p. 16: [recto] rough sketch of landscape with mountains; [verso] church interior (upside down). p. 17: blank p. 18: very rough landscape sketch p. 19: landscape with buildings on mountaintops, inscribed upper right: "San Pietro a Quintole / monti [ant?]" p. 20: landscape with hills and valley p. 21: [recto] rough landscape sketch; [verso] rough sketch of hills (upside down) p. 22: [recto] rough sketch of hills; [verso] very rough sketch of hills. [Page torn out between remaining pages 22 and 23.] p. 23 [tan paper]: [recto] blank; [verso] rough sketch of branches (upside down). p. 24: [recto] very light and sketchy landscape forms; [verso] rocks (upside down). p. 25 [gray paper]: small sketch of boat (upside down) p. 26 [gray paper]: blank p. 27: [recto] blank; [verso] faint landscape sketch (upside down). p. 28: [recto] sketch of village with aqueduct and hills and trees; [verso] sketch of a stand of trees with color notations, from top to bottom and left to right: "yellow / [?]", "olive", "russet", "yellow / grey", "yellow", "grey", "purple", "grey-[green]", "yellow green [?]", "umber", "white" p. 29: [recto] rough landscape sketch; [verso] rough sketch of a stand of trees with inscription below "green opposed [?] red / [shadow?] to ['gr' struck through] orange / yellow and green" p. 30: [recto] sketch of hilltops; [verso] mathematical calculations at upper left p. 31: [recto] beginning outline of mountain (upside down); [verso] panoramic view of hills and valley p. 32 [tan paper]: blank Inside back cover: sketch of cabin and hills

Brooklyn Museum