Inscription with description of rocks at Cape Flattery (from Sketchbook X) 1885

This is a page from Sketchbook X, with an inscription by William Trost Richards. Though undated, we can guess it was made during one of Richard’s travels across America in the late 19th century. While it doesn’t contain a drawing, this page still offers insights into the artistic process of the time. Richard’s inscription, possibly of rocks at Cape Flattery, shows the artist’s close observation of nature, and the importance of geological accuracy. The emphasis on recording such details speaks to the cultural and scientific values of the period. The act of sketching and documenting landscapes was integral to the artistic training of the time, and the institutional push toward the study of nature. To understand the drawing in its full historical context, we can research more about 19th-century geological surveys, as well as the role of sketchbooks in artistic practice. This close attention to the material world shapes our understanding of the American landscape.