American Art Collaborative

General Sherman is one of many etchings that Ernest Haskell created of Giant Sequoia and other American tree species during the first two decades of the 20th century. In these scenes, Haskell juxtaposes the massive scale of the trees with scrupulous detail, demonstrating his interest in mastering the technical aspects of etching. Initially a newspaper illustrator and poster designer, Haskell took up etching after meeting the famous artist and etcher James Abbott McNeill Whistler during a trip to Europe. Haskell preferred working in a traditional, naturalistic manner, using the meticulous styles of Albrecht Dürer, Leonardo da Vinci, and other old masters to render American subjects and scenes. He was also interested in modern art, however, and made additional trips abroad in order to study the work of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and other contemporary artists first–hand.