Anemones (Grasses and Flowers)

This minutely observed, close-up nature study of anemones demonstrates Robert Brandegee’s dual interests, art and science. Alternating firm lines and soft touches of graphite and areas of shading and blank paper, the artist rendered the tangled vegetation with careful precision. Like William Trost Richards and Aaron Draper Shattuck (whose drawings are on view nearby), Brandegee worked in the tradition of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, which embraced John Ruskin’s commitment to a faithful approach to nature.