A View of the Federal Hall of the City of New York, as it appeared in the year 1797, with the adjacent buildings thereto (Valentine's Manual)
Nineteenth-century New Yorkers were interested in pictures that provided glimpses of the city's early history. In this Lower Manhattan street scene as it looked in the late eighteenth century, Federal Hall with its cupola topped by a weathervane appears at the upper end of Broad Street, which was lined with adjoining colonial houses built in the Dutch and English periods. Originally erected before the American Revolutionary War, this stately building had been re-designed in a neo-classical style by Pierre Charles L'Enfant for the occasion of George Washington's inauguration as the first President of the United States on 30 April 1789, which took place on its iron grillwork balcony. In this view,the steeple of St. Paul's is visible above the rooftops at left; and the tip of the cupola of the First Presbyterian Church peeks over the gable of a tall house. Only three people are depicted: a man pushing a cart, a man on the sidewalk in the left middleground, and a third man on the steps of Federal Hall.
This popular print after a 1797 watercolor by John Joseph Holland was made by Charles Currier. His older brother Nathaniel Currier established a successful New York-based lithography firm in 1835, which produced thousands of prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life and its history. In 1857, Nathaniel Currier made James Merritt Ives (Charles's brother-in-law) a business partner to handle financial matters. People eagerly acquired Currier & Ives lithographs of city views, picturesque scenery, rural life, ships, railroads, portraits, hunting and fishing scenes, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments.
This popular print after a 1797 watercolor by John Joseph Holland was made by Charles Currier. His older brother Nathaniel Currier established a successful New York-based lithography firm in 1835, which produced thousands of prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life and its history. In 1857, Nathaniel Currier made James Merritt Ives (Charles's brother-in-law) a business partner to handle financial matters. People eagerly acquired Currier & Ives lithographs of city views, picturesque scenery, rural life, ships, railroads, portraits, hunting and fishing scenes, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments.
Artwork Details
- Title: A View of the Federal Hall of the City of New York, as it appeared in the year 1797, with the adjacent buildings thereto (Valentine's Manual)
- Artist: After John Joseph Holland (American (born England), London 1776–1820 New York)
- Lithographer: Charles Currier (American, Roxbury (?), Massachusetts 1818–1887 Brooklyn, New York)
- Date: ca. 1865
- Medium: Lithograph, printed with two tint stones
- Dimensions: Image: 13 5/16 × 19 13/16 in. (33.8 × 50.3 cm)
Image with text and ruled border: 15 9/16 × 20 1/2 in. (39.5 × 52 cm)
Sheet: 17 1/8 × 22 7/16 in. (43.5 × 57 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Purchase, Florance Waterbury Bequest, 1968
- Object Number: 63.550.522
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.