Mission San Juan Capistrano

1883

Henry Chapman Ford

Associated Names
Henry Chapman Ford

Artist, American, 1828 - 1894

The image shows a landscape view of an architectural ruin, potentially part of the San Juan Capistrano Mission, seen from ground level. The horizon is positioned about a third from the top of the image, with distant hills extending across it as a backdrop. The ruin consists of weathered stone structures with arched doorways and large, partially collapsed arches, flanked by remaining portions of walls. Nearby, the ground appears uneven and covered with wild grasses. In the distance, arches supported by columns connect adjacent buildings that frame a courtyard area. The artwork style is akin to an etching or engraving, with fine, detailed lines and varied line density contributing to a textured look. The color palette is mainly monochromatic, featuring shades of brown and beige for a sepia-toned appearance, enhancing the historic atmosphere. A few birds are visible in the sky, adding a sense of movement to the stillness of the ruins.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    etching in black on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Corcoran Collection (Gift of Alice F. Williams)

  • Dimensions

    plate: 17.62 × 32.86 cm (6 15/16 × 12 15/16 in.)
    sheet: 32.86 × 45.09 cm (12 15/16 × 17 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.936

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Ford 1961, no. 4


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Alice F. Williams, Washington, DC; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1958; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Bibliography

1961

  • Ford, Henry Chapman. Etchings of California. California: Edward Selden Spaulding, 1961, no. 4.

Inscriptions

lower left in plate: San Juan Capistrano; lower right in plate: H.C. Ford '83; lower right in graphite: Henry Chapman Ford

Wikidata ID

Q77011593

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