Sketch of Yorktown from the Beach, looking to the west

Description

Watercolor on paper drawing of "Sketch of Yorktown from the Beach, looking to the West", July 1798, from the Latrobe Sketchbooks, by Benjamin Henry Latrobe. This scene features several small and large sailing ships, the cliffs of Yorktown, Virginia overlooking the York River, and Gloucester Point, which is the landmass in the distance on the right. Yorktown is the site of the famous battle that concluded the Revolutionary War in 1781. The artist described his view: "The first house that appears to the west, is that of Secretary Nelson (see p. further on). Along the top of the bank appear other houses of the upper town, - and the ruins of the British works, the [...] of which are almost filled up. The work on the last hill to the right is seen en profile. The foreground exhibit a work throw up, upon the beach, which commands the lower town (under the third hill) and the whole river. The bank consists of land, [...], upon a hard red-shell rock."