Mr. Robertson’s Quarry near Aquia, Virginia
Description
Watercolor, ink, and pencil on paper drawing of "Mr. Robertson's Quarry near Aquia, Virginia", ca. 1806, from the Latrobe Sketchbooks, by Benjamin Henry Latrobe. In 1804, Latrobe was in the midst of designing and sourcing materials to build the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. His supply of sandstone was running out and he sought another source. Latrobe entered into an agreement with William Robertson, the owner and operator of "Robertson's Quarry" to supply sandstone for the project. Latrobe only applied watercolor to a few large stones at center in this partially finished sketch. He made small notes throughout the sketch such as "none" and "gravel." Most of the background and foreground are incomplete. He described the property in his journal as “the best quarry now in work.” Latrobe knew Robertson for several years and first makes note of his quarry in an April 1798 journal entry.
Date
circa 1806