Lake Como, May 1, 1869 (verso, from sketchbook)

McEntee employed graphite to outline forms and added white gouache to highlight reflections and sky, exploiting the blue ground to reinforce depth. The blend of dry and wet media creates subtle texture, a practice common among Hudson River School artists who valued plein‑air study.

The drawing originates from the verso of a sketchbook, indicating it was likely a supplemental study rather than a finished piece. It now belongs to the American Wing collection, where it contributes to the museum’s representation of 19th‑century American landscape practice.

Although less celebrated than his Hudson River School peers, McEntee maintained close ties with leading artists of the movement, traveling and exchanging ideas. His journals, later published, provide valuable commentary on the artistic circles of post‑Civil War New York, situating works like this within a broader network of landscape experimentation.