Central Park – The Drive
Lithographed and published by Currier & Ives American
Not on view
This New York view shows Central Park in summer with figures walking on a path at right, and riding in carriages along a drive at left. An American flag is displayed on top of "The Arsenal" in the background.
The New York firm of Currier & Ives grew from a printing business established by Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888) in 1835. Expansion led, in 1857, to a partnership with James Merritt Ives (1824–1895). The firm operated until 1907, lithographing over 4,000 subjects for distribution across America and Europe with popular categories including landscape, marines, natural history, genre, caricatures, portraits, history and foreign views. Until the 1880s, images were printed in monochrome, then hand-colored by women who worked for the company.