A. J. Davis "Diary"
1829–82
Medium
Bound handwritten ledgerbook with sketches and manuscript text in graphite and ink
Dimensions
Overall: 13 x 8 1/2 x 2 1/8 in. (33 x 21.6 x 5.4 cm)
Classification
Albums|Drawings|Ornament & Architecture|Manuscripts
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1924
Accession Number
24.66.1400
Tags
Art Historical Context
Alexander Jackson Davis’s “Diary” is a remarkable bound ledgerbook that served as both a personal record and a creative workspace for the architect over more than five decades. Spanning from 1829 to 1882, the volume contains handwritten notes alongside numerous sketches rendered in graphite and ink. Its sturdy format—measuring roughly 13 by 8½ inches—allowed Davis to compile architectural studies, ornamental details, and observations in one portable place, transforming an ordinary ledger into a rich manuscript album. The book’s classification among drawings, ornament, and architecture highlig...
About the Artist
Alexander Jackson Davis · 1803–1892
Alexander Jackson Davis (1803–1892) was a pioneering American architect whose imaginative designs helped define the nation's picturesque country house tradition. Born in New York City on July 24, 1803, Davis received an informal education, studying drawing at the American Academy of the Fine Arts, the New-York Drawing Association, and the antique casts at the National Academy of Design. He apprent...