Nine out of ten 19th century sandpaper drawings portray dreamy vistas--sailboats on water framed by rolling hills, maybe with a piece fantasy architecture perched someone. I love those, but if there were ever a sandpaper drawing made for me, I'd say this wonderfully naive, uncommonly intimate one is it...look at this woman's neatly gridded, carefully tended garden beds! It seems quite sure to me that the maker of the drawing was the gardener herself, as clearly this drawing expresses a great sense of pride in the fruits of her labor. And there she is in the foreground, bonnet on her head and watering can in hand, lovingly sprinkling her plants. I especially love the flat overhead perspective on the bed at left--all about showing off those blooming flowers! And in the door frame of the little cottage, it looks like another woman standing, who sure looks like she is smiling to me. I paid a good bit for this one but it's my favorite I've seen and pure delight, and it's one I'd be especially glad to keep for myself, forever! 

11 5/8" x 9 3/4". Mid 19th century. Sandpaper drawings were made by applying fine marble dust to the paper or board, yielding a sandpaper texture and lending a sort of magical shimmer to the charcoal drawing. Good antique condition, under glass, in what I believe is the original frame. One very thin white line extending on the diagonal at far left of the picture--I believe a scratch to the surface of the paper/board, but looking rather like a kite string!