River Scene (from McGuire Scrapbook)

Art Historical Context

Thomas Doughty’s *River Scene* (1840), a delicate graphite drawing on off-white wove paper offers an intimate glimpse into the early development of American landscape art. Measuring just 6 x 79/16 inches, this modest sketch captures a tranquil riverside vista featuring boats gliding along canals and rivers, framed by lush trees. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art American Wing, it entered the collection as part of the McGuire Scrap, generously gifted by James C. McGuire in 1926. As one of America’s first native-born landscape painters, Doughty helped pioneer the genre in the 1820s and 1830s, predating the Hudson River School. His works often celebrated the sublime beauty of the American wilderness, blending precise observation with a sense of atmospheric calm. Graphite, a versatile medium for quick studies, allowed Doughty to render fine details—like the ripple of water or foliage texture—with subtle tonal gradations, making this piece a likely preparatory work for larger oils. This drawing reflects mid-19th-century fascination with America’s waterways, symbols of exploration and commerce. For visitors, it’s a charming window into how artists like Doughty sketched en plein air, laying the groundwork for a distinctly national artistic identity.

About the Artist

Thomas Doughty · 1793–1856

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