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Rockdale, Near Manayunk, PA

August Kollner

American Art

The monochromatic palette of grays in this watercolor—called grisaille—speaks to the German-born August Kollner’s training in black-and-white lithography. Although he was employed primarily as an illustrator and printmaker after settling in Philadelphia in 1839, Kollner was also an indefatigable landscape sketcher. During his extensive travels throughout the Northeast, he recorded the scenery in drawings that he would later finish in watercolor. Here the seated figure in the foreground might represent the artist making studies for this work.
MEDIUM Watercolor, graphite, and black ink on cream, moderately thick, smooth-textured wove paper
DATES 1865
DIMENSIONS 10 7/16 x 13 in. (26.5 x 33 cm) Frame: 17 7/8 x 23 7/8 x 1 1/2 in. (45.4 x 60.6 x 3.8 cm)
SIGNATURE Signed and dated lower right: "AK. fec. May 14, 1865"
INSCRIPTIONS Inscribed lower left in black ink: "Rockdale, near Manayunk, Pa." and below this in graphite "Rockdale" Inscribed on verso: "Rockdale, above Manaymill[?] / May 14th, 1865"
COLLECTIONS American Art
ACCESSION NUMBER 82.193.2
CREDIT LINE Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard L. Milberg
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
RECORD COMPLETENESS
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