(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1838 - 1902, New York, New York)
June 28, 1886
Watercolor and graphite on paper
14 1/4 x 10 in. (36.3 x 25.4 cm)
Collection of the Akron Art Museum
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic B. Schell, Jr.
1992.58
Many American artists traveled to Europe for training and inspiration, but some ventured even farther to make images for travel books, which were very popular at the end of the nineteenth century. Schell made these paintings in preparation for a book entitled Picturesque Atlas of Australasia. Like impressionist painters, Schell recorded the atmospheric effects of sunlight, clouds, and humidity on landscapes, but he aimed to create more theatrical effects that emphasize the exotic quality of the locales he visited.