Rock Study, 1871 (from Sketchbook)
ca. 1870
Medium
Graphite on paper
Dimensions
5 1/2 x 8 3/4 in. (14 x 22.2 cm)
Classification
Drawing
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of S.B. Luyster, 1936
Accession Number
36.124aa verso
Art Historical Context
Daniel Huntington's *Rock Study, 1871*, drawn from his sketchbook around 1870, captures the rugged texture of natural stone in a modest yet masterful graphite sketch. Measuring just 5½ x 8¾ inches, this intimate work exemplifies the artist's keen observation of the American landscape during a time of post-Civil War exploration and artistic growth. Housed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it reflects the era's fascination with nature's raw forms, serving as a preparatory study likely for larger compositions. Rendered in graphite on paper—a versatile medium favored by 19th...
About the Artist
Daniel Huntington · 1816–1906
Daniel Huntington (1816–1906) was born into a prominent New York family on October 4, 1816, descending from distinguished New England lineage. His early education began at age fourteen at Smith's Academy in New Haven, followed by Yale College, where he studied with Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor, artist, and president of the National Academy of Design, in 1835. After a disciplinary incident invo...