Cape Flattery Landscape (from Sketchbook X) 1885

William Trost Richards made this pencil drawing, “Cape Flattery Landscape,” from Sketchbook X, sometime in the late 19th century. Richards was an American artist associated with the Hudson River School, an artistic movement that emphasized realistic depictions of the American landscape. In this sketch, Richards captures a serene view of Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States. During the nineteenth century, the concept of “Manifest Destiny” fuelled westward expansion, and artists played a key role in shaping perceptions of these new territories. Richards's detailed and seemingly objective rendering of the landscape contributed to this sense of discovery, framing it as a space ripe for exploration and settlement. Understanding the cultural context in which artwork is made and displayed is vital. Museum archives, period publications, and artists' personal writings can help us understand the social and political dimensions of art.