Mountain Stream with Small Bridge I c. 1855

Elizabeth Murray created this landscape, "Mountain Stream with Small Bridge I," sometime in the mid-19th century, using graphite on paper. The inherent qualities of graphite – its softness and ability to create a range of tonal values – are essential to the image's impact. Notice how Murray uses the medium to evoke a misty, atmospheric perspective, blurring the lines between the natural elements. The weight of the graphite bears down, mirroring the density of the mountains. Drawings like these often served a documentary function at the time; Murray may have been recording a place for scientific or commercial reasons. We should consider this drawing as an intersection of fine art and practical craft. It challenges us to see how different modes of production influence our understanding of the world, and our relationship to it.