Horn of Haifa (from Sketchbook)

Art Historical Context

Nestled within the pages of Mary Newbold's 1904 sketchbook, *Horn of Haifa* a moment of quiet observation through delicate graphite lines on paper. This intimate drawing, measuring just 5¼ x 8¼ inches, reflects the American artist's travels abroad during the early 20th century when many artists ventured to the Middle East for inspiration. The title evokes the rugged hills of Haifa, a coastal city in Ottoman Palestine, suggesting a sweeping vista of undulating landscapes that hint at the region's dramatic topography. As a graphite sketch, the work exemplifies the spontaneity and precision of sketchbook studies—quick notations prized for their raw energy and direct engagement with nature. Sargent's American sensibility aligns it with the era's growing interest in exotic locales among U.S. artists, bridging personal exploration with broader cultural curiosity. Housed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it was generously gifted by Mrs. Francis Ormond in 1950, preserving this slice of transatlantic artistic wanderlust. Today, *Horn of Haifa* invites visitors to appreciate the humble power of pencil sketches: windows into an artist's eye, where hills rise not just on paper, but in the imagination.

About the Artist

Mary Newbold Sargent · 1826–1906

Mary Newbold Sargent (née Singer, 1826–1906) was born on April 24, 1826, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John Singer, a tanner and merchant, and Mary Smith Newbold. She married Dr. FitzWilliam Sargent, an eye surgeon, on June 27, 1850, in Philadelphia. The death of their first daughter, Mary Newbold Sargent (1851–1853), triggered a profound emotional crisis for Mary, prompting the family to aban...