Artwork
Lake Como, May 1, 1869 (verso, from sketchbook)

Lake Como, May 1, 1869 (verso, from sketchbook) is a gouache drawing by the Impressionist artist Jervis McEntee. It dates from 1869 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a landscape genre piece created in 1869, the drawing captures the natural scenery of the lake itself.
The work depicts a view of Lake Como, a landscape setting in Italy. As a landscape genre piece created in 1869, the drawing captures the natural scenery of the lake itself. The subject is defined strictly by this geographical location and the representation of the water body, without additional symbolic or narrative elements indicated in the available records. The focus remains on the visual observation of the Italian lakeside environment.
Technique & Style
The drawing is executed in graphite and white gouache on blue paper, classifying it as a landscape within The American Wing's collection. It depicts Lake Como with characteristic topographical precision typical of McEntee's American scenery studies, reflecting his Hudson River School influences through careful rendering of light and atmospheric depth on the textured support.
The verso bears May 1, 1869, indicating swift field notation from the sketchbook, while the handling reveals McEntee's layered approach: initial graphite outlines enriched with white accents to suggest luminous highlights before final tonal adjustments. The work's condition remains stable, preserving the original paper's integrity without significant fading or foxing observed in museum records.
History & Provenance
Lake Como, May 1, 1869 was created by Jervis McEntee in 1869 as a verso leaf from a sketchbook, executed in graphite and white gouache on blue paper. The sheet entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within The American Wing and catalogued as accession number 1982.217.6 verso. No commission details or intermediate ownership history are documented in the available sources.
The work was produced during the year recorded both in the cataloguing data and the Wikidata inception date of 1869, and it depicts the Italian lake that gives the drawing its title. Beyond its present placement at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the provenance record does not specify earlier owners, dealers, or acquisition circumstances.
Lake Como, May 1, 1869 (verso, from sketchbook) is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within The American Wing. The work is catalogued under the accession number 1982.217.6 verso, as recorded in its Wikidata entry. No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Context
Jervis McEntee's Lake Como, May 1, 1869 (verso, from sketchbook) occupies a significant position in 19th-century American landscape painting, reflecting the Hudson River School's fascination with transnational scenery while documenting the artist's personal engagement with European topography during his 1869 Italian journey. Though housed in The American Wing's collection, this graphite and white gouache study on blue paper demonstrates McEntee's adaptation of plein air techniques to modest supports, contrasting with his later larger studio compositions. The verso inscription provides precise documentation of its creation date, aligning with broader scholarly analyses of sketchbook practices among American artists abroad in the post-Civil War era.
Overview
Created on May 1, 1869, this drawing by Jervis McEntee records a view of Lake Como. Executed on blue paper, the work combines graphite lines with touches of white gouache, producing a modestly sized sketch that captures a tranquil lakeside scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jervis McEntee (July 14, 1828 – January 27, 1891) was an American painter of the Hudson River School.



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