William Trost Richards (American, 1833–1905). <em>Sketchbook, Landscape, Tree and Plant Studies, Some Figures, Germantown, Pennsylvania Area</em>, ca. 1860. Graphite on paper, 4 1/8 x 6 7/8 in. (10.5 x 17.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Edith Ballinger Price, 75.15.11 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 75.15.11.jpg)

William Trost Richards (American, 1833–1905). Sketchbook, Landscape, Tree and Plant Studies, Some Figures, Germantown, Pennsylvania Area, ca. 1860. Graphite on paper, 4 1/8 x 6 7/8 in. (10.5 x 17.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Edith Ballinger Price, 75.15.11 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 75.15.11.jpg)

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Sketchbook, Landscape, Tree and Plant Studies, Some Figures, Germantown, Pennsylvania Area

William Trost Richards

American Art

This sketchbook contains detailed studies of trees and plant life as well as minutiae like this pair of spiders with particulars of a roughly hewn wooden fence, including its grain, knots, and the way in which the rails fit into the notches of the posts. Such precision and attention to specifics demonstrate the Ruskinian point of view that brought Richards into the circle of the American Pre-Raphaelites during the 1860s, when images like this rail fence found their way into his oil paintings.

ARTIST William Trost Richards, American, 1833–1905

MEDIUM Graphite on paper

DATES ca. 1860

DIMENSIONS 4 1/8 x 6 7/8 in. (10.5 x 17.5 cm) (show scale)

INSCRIPTIONS See description

COLLECTIONS American Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 75.15.11

CREDIT LINE Gift of Edith Ballinger Price

CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Sketchbook of 43 pages, containing landscape and nature studies in graphite and one in red crayon. Inside front cover, loose sketch of a tree trunk or branch, inscribed at upper right, "William T. RIchards / Germantown . Phila" p1 loose sketch of a forest interior p1verso studies of wood/fence p2 studies of wood and two insects p2verso loose sketch of wood/trees p3 study of a branch p3verso - p4 studies of branches, and a study of a tree p4verso study of branches p5 study of a tree p5verso study of branches p6 study of a tree trunk page excised p7 study of a tree trunk p8 study of tree and/or rocks p9 study of a tree trunk and some branches p9verso - p10 study of a tree trunk and rocks, grasses p11 study of tree trunk p11verso scribbles p12 study of forest interior p12verso upside down, loosely sketched study of forest interior p13 study of tree trunk amid rocks p13verso, forest interior; rocks? p14 study of tree trunk p14verso study of tree trunk p15 study of tree trunk p15verso flower study? other smudged nature studies p16 small study of branches/leaves p16verso close up flower study p17 study of tree p17verso loosely sketched forest interior p18 sketch of forest interior p18verso tree p19 tree/roots p19verso loosely sketched nature study, possibly forest interior p20 loosely sketched forest interior p20verso study of tree trunk p21 loosely sketched forest interior p22 study of tree trunk p22verso loose sketch of leaves? p23 loose sketch, possibly flowers or leaves p23verso loose sketch of tree trunks p24 loose sketch of forest interior p24verso upside down, loose sketch of edge of forest Page excised p25 blank p25verso study of tree/bark p26 partially excised, some sketching of branch and leaves that goes on to p27 p27 sketch of vine and tree trunk (continued from partially excised p26) p27verso smudged/scribbles p28 study of tree p28verso upside down, studies of two heads and a cow, inscribed at upper right, upside down, "WTR" p29 loose sketch, possibly cloud studies p29verso study of tree p30 blank p30verso studies of branches and leaves p31 study of branches p31verso study of trees p32 study of a tree p32verso study of branch and leaves p33 study of branch p33verso, upside down, loose study of many tree trunks/forest interior p34 very loose study of many tree trunks/forest interior p34verso, upside down, forest interior p35 very loose study of tree trunks p35verso upside down, forest interior p36 blank p36verso, red crayon, forest interior p37 loose study of base of tree trunk p37verso loose, almost illegible, nature studies p38 loose, smudged study of trees p39 house amid trees, with tombstones (?) in foreground p39verso, three studies of cows p40 study of cow standing in water with one tree/branch p40verso house amid trees, fence in foreground p41 blank p41verso loose study of trees and rocks/forest interior p42 loose study of tree p42verso seascape, with figure standing on beach Page excised p43 study of a man holding a rifle p43verso study of a man holding a rifle, other lines/markings throughout page Inside back cover, small landscape within artist rendered "frame", othermarkings of possible nature studies. Some sketches of a book?

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION William Trost Richards (American, 1833–1905). Sketchbook, Landscape, Tree and Plant Studies, Some Figures, Germantown, Pennsylvania Area, ca. 1860. Graphite on paper, 4 1/8 x 6 7/8 in. (10.5 x 17.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Edith Ballinger Price, 75.15.11 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 75.15.11.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 75.15.11.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph

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