Who painted Eastman Johnson Sketching?

Eastman Johnson Sketching was painted by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze in 1850.

Where can I see Eastman Johnson Sketching?

Eastman Johnson Sketching is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Eastman Johnson Sketching?

Eastman Johnson Sketching is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Eastman Johnson Sketching?

Museum-quality prints of Eastman Johnson Sketching are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Eastman Johnson Sketching

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze , 1850

Eastman Johnson Sketching is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right in graphite, erased: E. Johnson / by Leutze / 30

About this work

Overview

Created around 1850, Eastman Johnson Sketching is a modestly sized drawing executed in graphite with accents of black chalk on wove paper. The work is attributed to Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze, a German‑born painter who built his career in the United States.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a solitary figure, artist Eastman Johnson, caught in the act of drawing. By presenting Johnson in a quiet, observational pose, the piece underscores Leutze’s fascination with portraying individuals engaged in everyday creative activity.

Technique & Style

Leutze employs a restrained graphite line to define form, while selective uses of black chalk deepen shadows and emphasize the hand’s movement. The drawing reflects the Düsseldorf school’s emphasis on precise draftsmanship and a clear, narrative focus.

History & Provenance

Leutze, best known for his large historical canvas Washington Crossing the Delaware (1851), produced this intimate study early in his American period. The work has remained within private collections, documented in catalogues of 19th‑century American drawings.

Sketching - George Fuller, John Quincy Adams Ward

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Artist & collection

Artist

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze

Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze (May 24, 1816 – July 18, 1868) was a German-born American history painter, best known for his 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware. He is associated with the Düsseldorf school of painting.