Young Man's Self-Directed Sketchbook of Progressive Drawing, 1893-96

Softcover, 9 x 12 inches. 26 pages of drawings over 21 leaves + 3 blanks, 24 leaves total. Front wrap torn away with consequent soil and wear to the first page, general wear around the corners and chipping to the back board with some loss and a shoeprint to boot. Chip at the bottom edge which persists through the textblock. Very fragile, Fair to Good. The twelfth drawing is dated January 1, 1893 and a later drawing is dated 1896, with six more drawings appearing afterward. Fragile, but a compelling and compact record student's development of drawing skills. Amidst a proliferation of drawing workbooks and art curricula, it's nice to see a sketchbook from the period that does not follow a curriculum. An impressive development of skill, starts with geometric forms, odd animals, a classic house-in-a-field, a period of flourishing, cartography, architectural landscapes, and a gorgeous gorge. The artist's name is revealed in an ornamental flourish that appears straight out of the instructive