Sketch of Hills and Mountains, Aug 17/85 (from Sketchbook X)

Art Historical Context

William Trost Richards, leading American landscape artist of the 19th century associated with the Hudson River School, created *Sketch of Hills and Mountains Aug 17/85* during a summer sketching trip in 1885. This intimate drawing from Sketchbook X exemplifies his lifelong passion for capturing the sublime beauty of nature with meticulous precision. Rendered in graphite on off-white wove, the modest 5 x 7 1/2-inch sheet reflects the portable sketchbooks artists carried for on-site studies, allowing Richards to record fleeting atmospheric effects amid rolling hills and rugged peaks. Richards's technique shines in the subtle gradations of graphite, building form through delicate hatching and tonal modeling that evoke depth and texture in the landscape. As a proponent of Luminism—a style emphasizing light's transcendent qualities—his sketches served as vital studies for larger oil paintings, bridging direct observation with poetic interpretation. This piece highlights the era's Romantic reverence for the American wilderness, just as industrialization began reshaping the continent. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing since its 1992 acquisition, this sketch offers visitors a window into Richards's process, reminding us how humble pencil marks laid the groundwork for enduring visions of nature's grandeur.

About the Artist

William Trost Richards · 1833–1905

William Trost Richards (1833–1905) was a prominent American landscape and marine painter born in Philadelphia, where he attended Central High School before beginning his artistic training. Between 1850 and 1855, he studied part-time under the German-born Hudson River School artist Paul Weber while working as a designer and illustrator of ornamental metalwork. He exhibited his first works at the Pe...