(Sketchbook) Up Rhone Valley from Sion

Art Historical Context

George Elbert Burr's *(Sketchbook) Up Rh Valley from Sion* (1899) captures a fleeting moment of alpine grandeur from the artist's travels in Switzerland. Perched in the town of Sion, in the heart of the Rhone Valley, Burr sketched the sweeping vista of rugged mountains rising against the valley floor—a scene evoking the dramatic landscapes that inspired 19th-century travelers and artists alike. As a quick drawing from his sketchbook, it offers an intimate glimpse into Burr's on-the-spot observation, where pencil or charcoal likely rendered the play of light on peaks and the vastness of the valley with economical lines. This work, housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection (bequest of Carolann Smurthwaite), highlights the tradition of sketchbooks as vital tools for artists documenting their journeys. In 1899, amid the rise of tourism in Europe's majestic regions, such drawings served as studies for larger paintings or prints, blending personal exploration with artistic preparation. Burr's focus on natural majesty underscores the era's Romantic appreciation for sublime wilderness, inviting viewers to feel the crisp mountain air and endless horizons through his eyes. (178 words)

About the Artist

George Elbert Burr · 1859–1939

George Elbert Burr was an American printmaker and watercolorist whose career spanned the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, earning him a reputation as one of the foremost etchers of the American West. Born in 1859 in Monroe Falls, Ohio, Burr trained as a commercial illustrator before turning his full attention to fine art. He honed his craft through diligent self-study and close obser...