Who painted Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook)?

Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook) was painted by Jervis McEntee in 1869.

Where can I see Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook)?

Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook) is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook)?

Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook) is associated with Hudson River School.

Artwork

Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook)

Jervis McEntee , 1869

Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook) is a watercolor work on paper by the Hudson River School artist Jervis McEntee. It dates from 1869 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 1982.217.10b
Credit line: Morris K. Jesup Fund, 1982

About this work

Technique & Style

The work captures a scene featuring a lake, mountains, and a building, demonstrating a rapid, observational handling characteristic of a sketchbook study.

Created in 1869, this landscape sketch on blue paper employs a mixed-media approach combining graphite, white gouache, and watercolor. The artist utilized the blue support as an intermediate tone, applying white gouache to create highlights and graphite for linear definition, while watercolor washes establish atmospheric depth. The work captures a scene featuring a lake, mountains, and a building, demonstrating a rapid, observational handling characteristic of a sketchbook study.

The integration of these materials on the colored ground allows for a unified rendering of light and form within the landscape genre.

History & Provenance

The drawing Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 (recto, from sketchbook) by Jervis McEntee is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work is classified within the museum's American Wing and records a landscape depiction of a lake, building, and mountain. Its medium comprises graphite, white gouache, and watercolor on blue paper, dated to 1869.

No explicit accession or inventory number is provided in the available documentation, nor are any exhibition appearances listed in public catalogues or loan records.

Overview

Jervis McEntee, an artist associated with the Hudson River School, created Lake Maggiore May 12 1869 during his travels in 1869. This work, executed in a sketchbook, captures a landscape featuring a tranquil lake, distant mountains, and a structure, rendered with graphite, watercolor, and white gouache on blue paper. It offers a glimpse into his on-site observations.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a quiet lake curving between two dark hills under a pale sky. Trees with quickly sketched branches lean over the water, contributing to the scene's serene atmosphere. The title's precise date, "May 12 1869," emphasizes that this is an immediate impression, a swift visual record of a particular moment during McEntee's journey, rather than a formalized studio painting.

Context

Though not as widely recognized as some of his contemporaries, Jervis McEntee was a member of the Hudson River School and maintained close ties with its leading figures. This particular work originated from a small sketchbook used during his travels, reflecting a common practice among artists of the period to document their observations directly from nature. McEntee also extensively chronicled his experiences and the artistic milieu of his time in personal journals.

Lake Maggiore, May 12, 1869 (verso, from Sketchbook), Jervis McEntee

Artist & collection

Artist

Jervis McEntee

Jervis McEntee (July 14, 1828 – January 27, 1891) was an American painter of the Hudson River School.

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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