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Collections

John Wilhelm Nahl
Sketch Book

Not on view
Drawing in graphite and gray-blue wash of two ancient relief fragments: a winged putto holding a disc and a winged female figure in draped cloth, with a French inscription below
Pencil sketch of two loosely outlined figures, one reclining and one seated upright, rendered with light, minimal lines on cream-colored paper, with a cursive inscription at lower left.
Watercolor and pencil landscape sketch of a hillside town with red-roofed buildings nestled among trees in the middle ground, rolling hills and a distant church spire visible on the horizon, rendered in pale greens, blues, and earth tones with light washes
Open sketchbook with pencil landscape sketch on the right page: tall conifers, Gothic ruins with arched openings, and a distant townscape along the lower left; left page largely blank with brown water staining.
Watercolor landscape study of a gnarled, hollow tree trunk with spreading leafy canopy in muted greens, against a soft gray-blue background; loose, delicate brushwork; handwritten inscription at lower right.
Pencil and watercolor drawing, bust-length portrait of a young man wearing a tall top hat and caped coat, set against a lightly colored landscape with hills, a castle, and a village; handwritten inscription in cursive below the image.
Watercolor and pencil landscape study of conifer trees, with yellow-green drooping branches filling the composition; pale blue sky visible at upper right; handwritten inscription at lower left dated 1838.
Pen and ink drawing with gray wash on paper; study sheet with multiple animals. Center: a large eagle with wings spread stands atop a prostrate wolf or dog carcass, with a second eagle and an owl grouped at right. Upper left: two lightly sketched big cats, rendered in faint outlines. Handwritten inscriptions visible at lower left and right.
Pencil and watercolor study sheet featuring multiple big cats: two loosely sketched lions in graphite at top, a recumbent tiger cub and a small eye detail in warm ochre and brown at lower left, and two detailed lions rendered in tan and brown wash at center and right.
Sketchbook page with pencil and watercolor animal studies: a standing bear at center, a standing lion at upper left, two lion head studies at upper right, a reclining lion sketch at lower left, and a fully rendered reclining lion in warm brown and golden tones at lower right.
Watercolor and pencil study sheet depicting wildebeest and bovine animals in various poses: two wildebeest standing and facing each other at top, a buffalo resting centrally, a pale bovine grazing at lower right, and detailed leg and hoof studies in graphite below, rendered in warm brown washes with loose brushwork.
Watercolor and pencil study of a zebra in full profile facing right, with warm brown and white stripes rendered in fine detail; a lightly sketched secondary study of the hindquarters visible in the lower right corner, on cream-toned paper.
Watercolor and pencil study sheet depicting multiple big cats in varied poses: a reclining lion facing forward at center left, tigers in profile and resting positions, and loose pencil sketches, rendered in warm ochre and brown washes on cream paper.
Watercolor and pencil study sheet depicting multiple camelids and a donkey: a large brown llama in profile at center with long shaggy coat, a white llama head in profile at upper right, a reclining white llama at far right, a small white grazing animal at lower left, and a frontal donkey head at upper left.
Pen and wash drawing of a busy beach scene with multiple figures gathered near a beached boat; a rider on a white horse, fishermen, seated women sorting catch, and baskets in the foreground; sailing vessels and a distant shoreline in the background; dated notation at lower right.
Pen, pencil, and wash drawing of a standing giraffe in three-quarter view, rendered in warm brown tones with spotted markings. Surrounding pencil sketches show the giraffe's head and hindquarters in separate studies, and a lightly drawn figure of a person beside a ladder at lower left. Handwritten inscription in German script at bottom.
Pen, ink, and wash drawing on aged paper with two distinct study areas: upper portion shows pencil sketches of a reclining armored figure and a standing figure in Roman military dress with plumed helmet; lower portion depicts a pastoral scene with cattle, sheep, and three figures in period dress before a rocky landscape, rendered in brown wash with loose linework.
Chalk drawing on paper, a crowned, robed figure seated on a throne at left faces a kneeling figure playing a large harp at right, heavy draped curtains in the background, loose sketchy lines throughout.
Pencil sketch page with multiple elephant studies, including a large standing elephant viewed from the front-rear, a side-profile head study at left, a smaller rear view at right, and detail sketches of feet, with handwritten inscription in cursive script at upper left.
Pencil drawing of an idealized landscape with a tall tree at center, ruined architecture at left, rocky cliffs and standing figures at right, and an open valley receding to distant hills, rendered in light, sketchy graphite lines.
Pencil sketch landscape with rolling hills, a river or road in the foreground, scattered trees and buildings in the middle distance, and a church spire on the hilltop at right, rendered in faint, minimal lines on cream paper.
Pencil sketch of a male lion in full profile, facing right with head turned toward the viewer, rendered in loose gestural lines on cream paper, with flowing mane suggested by curving strokes.
Pencil sketch on aged paper with three big cat studies: a tiger reclining facing forward upper left, a standing tiger in profile upper right, and a resting lion with full mane shown from above at bottom center, rendered in light, exploratory linework.
Pencil sketch sheet with three animal studies: a detailed lion's head with full mane at upper left, a lightly sketched reclining tiger at upper right, and a full-body standing lion with mane at lower right, on aged paper.
Pen and ink with wash studies of two horses on a single sheet: above, a horse with head lowered as if grazing, rendered with fine hatching; below, a horse lying on its back with legs raised, in looser brushwork. Handwritten inscriptions and dates visible near each study.
Pencil sketch on aged paper with three studies of reindeer: a detailed reclining animal with branching antlers at upper right, a loosely outlined standing figure at lower center, and a small rough sketch at upper left. Handwritten inscription at center right.
Pencil sketch of a landscape with two large wind-swept trees framing an open valley; small figures on horseback and on foot gathered at lower right, with cloudy sky above and distant hills.
Pencil study sheet with multiple lion head sketches in varying orientations: profile view at left, frontal view at center, profile at lower right with light brown wash, and smaller sketches at upper center and right, on aged cream paper.
Artist or Maker
John Wilhelm Nahl
Title
Sketch Book
Place Made
Germany
Medium
Various media
Dimensions
10 1/8 × 7 1/2 × 3/4 in. (25.72 × 19.05 × 1.91 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Sandra and Jacob Terner
Accession Number
M.79.231.35
Classification
Drawings
Collecting Area
Prints and Drawings