Ruskin advocated against idealizing nature; rather he advised "strict fidelity in depicting exactly what one observed."Shelley, 188 He advised aspiring artists to seek the "humble and commonplace" such as the "much-beloved Swiss Alps".Shelley, 189 Consistent with Ruskin's contemporary art theories, Sargent's landscapes are true depictions of what he saw. The locales are easily identified and Sargent gives attention to the topography of the mountainous terrain. According to art historian Shelley, the sheets in the sketchbook "reveal careful attention to ... capturing the color and form of the mountains, the expanses of snow, the waterfalls and boulders, the weight and shadows of the clouds."
