Seascape (from Sketchbook VII) 1886

"Seascape," an undated ink drawing, comes from Sketchbook VII by William Trost Richards, an American artist associated with the Hudson River School. Richards made many such sketches from nature to act as studies for larger studio paintings. But what does it mean to sketch the sea? The ocean has long been a symbol of untamed power, often racialized in literature and art as an unconquerable force. Yet here, in Richards's delicate rendering, the ocean is approachable, almost domestic. Made during a time of increasing industrialization, Richards's seascapes offered viewers an escape into the tranquility of nature. Consider the cultural context: as America expanded westward, these images also subtly reinforced a narrative of untouched, pristine landscapes, conveniently ignoring the displacement and erasure of indigenous populations. Richards’ seascapes become less about the ocean itself, and more about the cultural values and erasures projected onto it.