Potomac Round Point, Washington D.C., Plan Sketch 1909

This is D.H. Burnham and Co.’s plan sketch for Potomac Round Point, Washington D.C., made with graphite and watercolor. Just looking at the drawing, I can imagine them hunched over the paper, working meticulously, almost like a cartographer mapping out an unknown land. There is a delicate quality in their work: the controlled graphite lines forming the basis of the sketch, punctuated by the soft washes of watery greens and reds. See how these colors define the landscape of this architectural plan. You can almost feel the intended serenity of the place. What was going through their mind as they conceived this space? The drawing feels like a puzzle, a riddle, a problem to be solved. I think that’s what all us artists have in common, really – an attempt to bring order and harmony to a space, whether it's a canvas or a city.