Where can I see Cloud Study; Lake [Maggiore?] and Village (verso, from sketchbook)?

Cloud Study; Lake [Maggiore?] and Village (verso, from sketchbook) is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Cloud Study; Lake [Maggiore?] and Village (verso, from sketchbook)?

Cloud Study; Lake [Maggiore?] and Village (verso, from sketchbook) is associated with Hudson River School.

Artwork

Cloud Study; Lake [Maggiore?] and Village (verso, from sketchbook)

Cloud Study; Lake [Maggiore?] and Village (verso, 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. Created circa 1869, this study combines graphite, gouache and watercolor on blue paper.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1869, this study combines graphite, gouache and watercolor on blue paper. It records a lakeside scene with a village and a house, rendered in a loose, sketch‑book manner that emphasizes atmospheric clouds and reflected light.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a tranquil lake, likely in the Lake Maggiore region, with modest rooftops and a solitary dwelling. The emphasis on soft, expansive clouds suggests an interest in fleeting weather effects rather than narrative detail.

Technique & Style

Employing a blue ground, McEntee applied white gouache to suggest sunlight on water, while graphite outlines provide structural guidance. The watercolor washes are fluid and suggestive, characteristic of on‑the‑road studies by Hudson River School artists who favored rapid observation over finished polish.

History & Provenance

Jervis McEntee, a peripheral figure within the Hudson River School, produced the work while traveling, likely during a European sketching tour. The piece remained in his personal sketchbooks until later archival research linked it to his unpublished journals covering the years 1872–1890, which illuminate the daily life of a New York painter in the Gilded Age.

Context

McEntee frequently accompanied leading Hudson River School painters on excursions, absorbing their focus on natural light and landscape. This study reflects that shared practice of documenting specific locales quickly, serving as a visual reference for larger studio paintings.

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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