COLLECTION NAME:
JCB Archive of Early American Images
Accession number:
73-199
Record number:
73-199
JCB call number:
En76 C331v
Image title:
A View of Fort George with the City of New York from the SW.
Creator 1:
John Carwitham
Creator 1 dates:
1723-1741
Creator 1 role:
sculp.
Place image published:
London
Image publisher:
Printed for Carington Bowles Map & Printseller, at No, 69 in St. Pauls Church Yard
Image date:
[after 1764]
Image function:
print
Technique:
engraving, hand coloring
Image dimension height:
28.1 cm.
Image dimension width:
44.6 cm.
Page dimension height:
33.4 cm.
Page dimension width:
48 cm.
Materials medium:
ink, colors
Materials support:
paper
Languages:
English
Description:
View of Fort George at the lower end of New York City. Built environment includes fortifications, churches, dwellings, ships with British flags, boats, and windmill. Steeples of buildings are numbered but no key is supplied for identification.
Source Title:
Scenographia Americana: or, A collection of views in North America and the West Indies ... from drawings taken on the spot ...
Source place of publication:
London
Source publisher:
Printed by John Bowles ...
Source date:
1768
notes:
Fortifications at the lower part of Manhattan Island were known successively as Fort Amsterdam, Fort James, Fort Willem Hendrick, Fort Ann, and Fort George. In 1790 Fort George was demolished and the Battery was extended as a public promenade. Although this view was published after 1764, the scene itself dates from between 1731 and 1737 (determined by the location and appearances of prominent churches) and is the earliest known view of the city from the west. The views of American towns engraved by Carwitham were included in a collection of views published by John Bowles, which are known collectively as Scenographia Americana. The views in these prints were made from drawings that were drawn on the spot, often by military artists. This print is held separately.
Time Period:
1751-1800
References:
Stokes, I.N.P. American Historical Prints, B-49, B-92; Stokes, I.N.P. Iconography, I, p. 281 et seq.; Roylance, D. American Graphic Arts, p. 34
References exhibitions:
Danforth, S. Encountering the New World, Item 155
Provenance/Donor:
Acquired in 1973.
Owner and copyright:
©John Carter Brown Library, Box 1894, Brown University, Providence, R.I. 02912
Commentary:
geographic area:
North America
Subject Area:
Artifacts, industry, and human activities
Subject Area:
Geography, maps, city views and plans
Subject headings:
New York (N.Y.)--Description and travel
- Active Media Group: