Roman Campagna, Nov. 12, 1868 (verso, from sketchbook) 1868

Jervis McEntee made this drawing of the Roman Campagna in 1868 using graphite on paper. Graphite, in its natural state, is a form of carbon, mined from the earth. But in McEntee’s time, it was also an industrialized material, refined and processed into pencils. Here, we see how a humble implement could be used to capture a landscape. Note how the artist used a minimum of strokes to evoke a scene with precision. The relative softness of the graphite allowed McEntee to create varied effects, from sharp outlines to smudged atmospheric effects. There's a directness, an unpretentiousness to this work, reflecting the artist's sensibility. McEntee didn't need to work on a grand scale to address essential themes, like the relationship between nature and civilization, or the passage of time. Ultimately, this small drawing reminds us that the most profound statements can come from the simplest means. It is a reminder that close observation and skilled hand work are available to anyone.