Ravenswood, Long Island, near Halletts Cove [left half of print]

Ravenswood is a site on the East River across from Roosevelt Island (then called Blackwell's Island) in what is today known as Long Island City in Queens, New York. In 1814, mineralogist and businessman George Gibbs (1776–1833) bought the waterfront property, then divided it into lots in order to develop a community of riverfront residences for wealthy merchants. Gibbs died in 1833 before his plan could be realized, so the land was subsequently divided by three developers into nine estates. This rare lithograph printed on two sheets (this being the left half; see also 65.550.513b and 54.90.975) documents Alexander Jackson Davis's never-executed architectural proposal for C. H. Roach. A row of six villas in Italianate and Greek revival styles are sited along the river; a Gothic revival church is at the right (albeit centrally placed in the composition when the two halves of this print are placed side by side). On the water in the foreground, two rowboats and part of a sailboat are shown. On the shore in the middleground, a horsedrawn carriage and four women make their way along the paved embankment.

A leading American architect of his day, A. J. Davis (1803–1892) began his career as an architectural illustrator and draftsman. Between 1825 and 1840, he made lithographs to document many of New York City's important buildings. After 1830, he began to design buildings in Italianate, Greek- and Gothic-revival styles. The Metropolitan Museum of Art collection has many architectural designs and decorative arts objects by Davis.

This architectural lithograph was among the earliest made by Nathaniel Currier (1813–1881) in his New York City print shop, which issued its first lithographs in 1835. In 1828, Currier had begun his career as the first apprentice to the Boston-based workshop established by William and John Pendleton—the first lithographic house in America. Currier went on to help the Pendleton brothers set up print shops in Philadelphia and New York City, before he took over the New York operation as his own. Expansion led, in 1857, to a partnership with James Merritt Ives (1824–1895); thereafter, the firm was called Currier & Ives. People eagerly acquired Currier & Ives lithographs of rural and city views, picturesque landscapes, historic scenes, ships, trains, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. The firm produced thousands and thousands of prints (hand-colored, printed color) in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life. By the early twentieth century, Currier & Ives had become the most prolific, longest running American printmaking establishment.