Hills and Mountains (from Sketchbook X) 1885

This graphite drawing of "Hills and Mountains" comes from Sketchbook X by William Trost Richards. The composition of the sketch is structured around the contrast between the stark, empty left page and the detailed mountainscape on the right. The precise, linear quality of the graphite lines captures the textures of rock and foliage, lending a sense of depth. Richards uses hatching and cross-hatching to build up tonal values, creating a play of light and shadow that emphasizes the forms of the mountains. The strategic void on the left draws our focus to the density of detail on the right. This arrangement suggests a visual metaphor of presence and absence, possibly reflecting broader notions of Romanticism and the sublime, where nature's immensity evokes a sense of awe and contemplation. The drawing serves as a study in perception. It reminds us that art's power lies not just in representation, but in how it shapes our engagement with the visual world.