Tree Landscape with Camp (from Sketchbook X) 1885

William Trost Richards created this graphite sketch, "Tree Landscape with Camp," sometime in the late 19th century. Spread across two pages of a sketchbook, the drawing presents a panoramic vista, bisected by the book's spine. Richards uses the graphite to create varied textures and densities. Notice how the trees, rendered with quick, scribbled lines, contrast with the smoother, more toned sky and landscape. The composition is structured by horizontal bands of land and sky. The eye is led from the copse of trees on the left to a central clearing, and finally, to the large, rounded tree on the right. The landscape is sparsely populated with tiny figures, perhaps the 'camp' referenced in the title, which adds a sense of scale and depth. The sketch is more than just a representation of a landscape, it is also a study in form and texture, with Richards exploring the potential of graphite to capture the nuances of light and space. This piece reminds us that even in what appears to be a simple sketch, complex ideas about space, form, and representation are at play.