Name/Title
LakeEntry/Object ID
2016.01.08.aDescription
Drawing
This early field sketch depicts a lake with some shoreline and a treed headland in the distance. The artist was likely a professional military engineer or surveyor with the skills to accurately observe and record information, perhaps a fully trained military artist. The work could have been undertaken in the person's official capacity such as surveying or exploration, or also unofficially for personal pleasure. The location is probably B.C., but specifics are unknown.Artwork Details
Medium
Pen and ink on paperSubject Place
Region
Pacific NorthwestContinent
North AmericaContext
This 19th century documentation of topographical details might have been done for a variety of purposes such as military operations, navigation or construction. A sketch of natural features done in the field, whether in pencil, pen and ink or watercolour could be quickly created, and was generally small. And compact portable sketchbooks or notebooks were relatively inexpensive and could be readily protected in waterproof wrappings for transport.
"The creation of documentary art by military men began in earnest with the outbreak of the Seven Years' War [1756–1763], when British officers began to arrive in North America in force. British Army or Navy officers generally received some artistic training: naval officers learned how to sketch harbours and coastal profiles, while army officers drew ground sketches, or topography, including landscapes..."
Extract from "The Military Artist and the Documentary Art Record" by Jim Burant. See Web Links below.
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This late 19th century sketch is done in iron gall ink made from oak galls. This ink is the most important ink in Western history used for so many purposes from medieval manuscripts to Leonardo da Vinci's notebooks to Bach's musical compositions to Rembrandt's drawings to everyday letter writing. The ink became the standard for royal and legal records from the Middle Ages through to the twentieth century, and in many countries, laws specified the content of the ink.
Iron gall ink initially darkens from a purple-grey-tan colour to a deep, indelible velvet black, and then, over time there is a colour change from black to brown, and sadly, depending on the recipe of the ink and other factors, corrosion can occur causing deterioration of the ink itself, as well as the underlying paper or parchment. However, it was not until the invention of chemically-produced inks and writing fluids in the later 20th century that iron gall ink fell from common use.Made/Created
Date made
circa 1875Time Period
19th CenturyNotes
ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Further research is needed.Inscription/Signature/Marks
Type
SignatureLocation
Signed lower right: MOKEDimensions
Dimension Description
SupportHeight
15.2 cmWidth
17.8 cmRelationships
Related Entries
Notes
By Moke:
2016.01.08a Lake (framed with 2016.01.08b)
2016.01.08b Stream (framed with 2016.01.08a)