Scylla, 1904 (from Sketchbook)

Art Historical Context

Mary Newbold Sargent’s *Scylla* (1904) offers a delicate glimpse into an American artist’s travels and observations at the turn of the twentieth century. Created in graphite and watercolor on paper, this small sketchbook page—measuring just under six by nine inches—captures a rugged mountainous landscape. The title evokes the rocky cliffs associated with the mythological figure Scylla, suggesting Sargent may have been recording a scene that blended natural observation with classical allusion. The combination of graphite for precise outlines and translucent watercolor washes was a favored technique for quick, on-site studies. Such sketchbooks allowed artists to experiment with light, form, and color while traveling, preserving fleeting impressions that might later inform larger works. As part of the Metropolitan Museum’s American Wing collection, this piece reflects the era’s growing interest in personal artistic exploration and the natural world. Donated in 1950 by Mrs. Francis Ormond, *Scylla* invites viewers to appreciate the intimate scale and spontaneity of early twentieth-century American sketching practices.

About the Artist

Mary Newbold Sargent · 1826–1906

Mary Newbold Sargent (née Singer, 1826–1906) was born on April 24, 1826, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to John Singer, a tanner and merchant, and Mary Smith Newbold. She married Dr. FitzWilliam Sargent, an eye surgeon, on June 27, 1850, in Philadelphia. The death of their first daughter, Mary Newbold Sargent (1851–1853), triggered a profound emotional crisis for Mary, prompting the family to aban...