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

Executed in 1869, this landscape sketch utilizes a combination of graphite, white gouache, and watercolor applied to blue paper. The artist, Jervis McEntee, employed these materials to render a scene depicting a lake and mountainous terrain. The use of blue paper as a support allows the white gouache to function as a mid-tone or highlight, creating a specific atmospheric effect characteristic of quick field studies.

The work is classified as a drawing within the American Wing collection, reflecting its nature as a page from a sketchbook rather than a finished oil painting.

The drawing Lake Maggiore, May 12, 1869 (verso, from Sketchbook) contributed to McEntee's standing as a chronicler of American scenery, a role noted in early 20th-century assessments of his output. Though his reputation fluctuated with changing tastes, the work is cited in later inventories of his landscape sketches held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, underscoring its inclusion in the museum's collection of American Wing materials. Its depiction of a lake and mountain aligns with genre conventions of the period, and its presence in archival records has informed studies of McEntee's influence on subsequent generations of American landscape artists.

Jervis McEntee’s sketch titled Lake Maggiore, May 12, 1869 records a brief outdoor study made on a single day. Executed on blue paper with graphite, white gouache and watercolor, the work captures a tranquil lake framed by gentle mountains beneath a pale sky. The date is inscribed on the surface, giving the piece a diary‑like immediacy.

Created during McEntee’s European travels in 1869, the sketch was kept in his personal sketchbook, a practice he shared with fellow Hudson River School artists. The piece later entered the collection of the American Wing, where it is displayed among other works documenting 19th‑century American landscape practice.

At the time, many landscape painters produced large studio canvases after preliminary studies. McEntee’s decision to work directly outdoors reflects a broader 19th‑century shift toward plein‑air sketching, allowing artists to capture transient light effects before returning to the studio for finished compositions.