Potomac River Below Harper's Ferry 1867

Andrew Fisher Bunner captured this view of the Potomac River below Harper's Ferry in a pencil drawing. The composition unfolds in horizontal layers, from the textured foreground of rocks, across the still water, to the soft, receding hills in the background. The drawing's subdued palette emphasizes tonal variations and textures rather than colour contrasts. Bunner's careful use of light and shadow transforms a potentially straightforward landscape into a study of depth and form. Notice how the varying densities of pencil strokes create volume and dimension, particularly in the rocks and foliage. The reflections on the water not only add a sense of realism, but also mirror and invert the landscape, complicating the picture. The structure, carefully divided into distinct yet connected parts, invites us to consider the relationship between foreground and background, solidity and fluidity. This formal arrangement evokes a sense of harmony and balance but also subtly challenges our perception of space and representation. Landscapes such as this one encourage us to see beyond the surface, into the underlying structures that shape our understanding of the world.