EDITORS: Black and white photo available on request.

ANN ARBOR—Long before photography or U-2s, military and naval officers documented scenes of landscape, settlement and events through topographical drawings. Trained in making realistic representations, these officers were supplemented by talented amateur artists, often travelers, whose pens and brushes attempted to realistically portray the land.

The finest and most representative of these drawings in various forms at the University of Michigan’s Clements Library are being displayed through Aug. 28 in “The Lay of the Land: Topographical Drawing in America, 1750-1860.”

Topographical drawing developed from the practical need of military and naval commanders to have accurate information about the surroundings in which they might one day fight or sail. Naval officers learned chiefly to draft profile views of coastlines as useful aids to navigation. But the most basic application of military topographical drawing was to record enemy positions and areas of potential operations. While the results of reconnaissance could be described in writing to a commanding officer, the addition of accurately rendered maps and views allowed far better preparation for an attack and even served as a visual guide for troops dispatched to conduct the attack.

These naval officers frequently had the opportunity to undertake and record exploration of little-known lands. Their ability to prepare drawings of the coasts in addition to maps and charts was a valuable tool for placing new discoveries on the map and making them accessible for commerce and military activity. Personal sketches of coastal views were often drawn into the logbooks or journals of ships’ masters or passengers.

The French and Indian War and the American War for Independence encouraged an outpouring of printed views of America made possible by the drawings of military officers. Not surprisingly, scenes of strategic landscapes, fortifications and battles dominate the subject matter. The Clements’ exhibit includes sketches and drawings that range from a watercolor of British-held Fort Niagara by James Peachey, and a watercolor, pen and ink rendition of Fort Nassau in the Bahamas by an unknown artist, to the 1839 gray wash over pen and ink of Fort Mackinac by Caleb Davis and an 1809 rough sketch of Detroit drawn for commercial purposes and later engraved for publication. “The Lay of the Land” can be viewed at the Clements Monday-Friday, 1-4:45 p.m. The Clements Library is located on South University Street on U-M’s Central Campus.