Artwork

Stony Clove, June 26, 1870; Landscape Composition (verso, from sketchbook)

Stony Clove, June 26, 1870; Landscape Composition (verso, from sketchbook) is a gouache drawing by the Impressionist artist Jervis McEntee. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The drawing shows a natural scene dominated by a solitary tree set within a rocky gorge, a composition that McEntee rendered to capture the quiet drama of the American wilderness. The motif of a lone tree against rugged terrain functions as a visual metaphor for endurance and the sublime presence of nature, themes that McEntee explored throughout his career. By placing the sketch on the verso of a dated sheet, the work also records his practice of using the back of papers for quick compositional studies, underscoring its role as a preparatory study rather than a finished artwork.

Technique & Style

Graphite and white gouache were applied to blue paper, creating a delicate tonal landscape that emphasizes atmospheric light and textural contrast.

Graphite and white gouache were applied to blue paper, creating a delicate tonal landscape that emphasizes atmospheric light and textural contrast. The verso of the sheet, labeled as a compositional study, retains visible sketch lines while the finished front displays a mature handling of form and spatial depth. This dual function reflects McEntee’s practice of using sketchbook sheets both as preparatory studies and as standalone works, underscoring the immediacy of his plein‑air observation and the careful balance between drawing and painting.

History & Provenance

Stony Clove, June 26, 1870; Landscape Composition was created in 1870 by Jervis McEntee, executed in graphite and white gouache on blue paper. The dated title records the specific day of the on-site sketch, situating the work within McEntee's Hudson River School sketching practice.

The sheet entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified under The American Wing and held as a landscape work depicting trees and terrain.

Overview

Jervis McEntee’s Stony Clove, June 26, 1870 is a modestly sized drawing executed in graphite and white gouache on blue paper. The work records a brief encounter with a mountain stream in the Catskill region, rendered in a single sheet taken from the artist’s traveling sketchbook.