Trints and ^Drawings in the (Collections of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Twelve months ago, it was decided to take stock of the Society's collection of prints and drawings. Problems of cataloging and handling had accumu- lated until they could no longer be ignored. The collection was almost un- usable by research workers, almost inaccessible to connoisseurs and in many instances in danger of physical disintegration. The task of repairing damaged items, and of preserving and cataloging the entire collection is now completed. Now that stock can be taken, it is clear that the Society has the best collection of Philadelphia iconography in exist- ence. This fact justifies the publication of the present check list of prints, to be followed in the July issue by a descriptive list of drawings. To most of us the iconography of Philadelphia suggests Birch and Kennedy, and while their importance is no doubt beyond dispute a wealth of lesser known but none the less valuable material has come to light in the Society's collection. Birch and Kennedy we most assuredly have. The former's cele- brated set of Views occurs in a superb copy, beautifully restored to its pristine magnificence, while our impression of the same artist's Country Seats is a close second in quality. As for Kennedy, we have the life's work of that painstaking topographical draughtsman, six volumes of water colors, totalling about n o o pictures of our city as it was in the mid-nineteenth century. Turning to other artists, we find in the Society's collection a splendid run of aquatint views of Philadelphia, such as those by Cartwright, Hill, and Lehman. In line engravings we have the great Birch-Seymour view, the Krimmel Election Scene and others. A century ago the newly-built Fairmount Water Works were one of the leading sights of the city, and they accord- ingly assumed an iconographic significance surprising to us today. They were a favorite theme for artists for years, and in consequence a fine sequence of prints, some in aquatint, but mostly lithographs, remains as a memorial to their early-Victorian reputation. Most of these views, in excellent impres- sions, are in the Society's collection. In fact our group of lithographs is very complete, comprising as it does, views of the Commissioners' Halls, the Union Volunteer Refreshment Saloon, and similar scenes. The Wild and Chevalier, and Bowen sets are present of course. As for drawings, there is a surprisingly rich and varied assortment. Ridg- way Evans, a rather more pedestrian topographer than Kennedy, heads the list with 245 items, accurate architecturally and valuable historically, if un- inspired artistically. Two albums of water colors, chiefly of Bucks County views, by Kollner represent that artist adequately, while two sketch books 140
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Trints and ^Drawings in the (Collections of
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Twelve months ago, it was decided to take stock of the Society's collectionof prints and drawings. Problems of cataloging and handling had accumu-lated until they could no longer be ignored. The collection was almost un-usable by research workers, almost inaccessible to connoisseurs and in manyinstances in danger of physical disintegration.
The task of repairing damaged items, and of preserving and cataloging theentire collection is now completed. Now that stock can be taken, it is clearthat the Society has the best collection of Philadelphia iconography in exist-ence. This fact justifies the publication of the present check list of prints, tobe followed in the July issue by a descriptive list of drawings.
To most of us the iconography of Philadelphia suggests Birch and Kennedy,and while their importance is no doubt beyond dispute a wealth of lesserknown but none the less valuable material has come to light in the Society'scollection. Birch and Kennedy we most assuredly have. The former's cele-brated set of Views occurs in a superb copy, beautifully restored to its pristinemagnificence, while our impression of the same artist's Country Seats is aclose second in quality. As for Kennedy, we have the life's work of thatpainstaking topographical draughtsman, six volumes of water colors, totallingabout n o o pictures of our city as it was in the mid-nineteenth century.
Turning to other artists, we find in the Society's collection a splendid runof aquatint views of Philadelphia, such as those by Cartwright, Hill, andLehman. In line engravings we have the great Birch-Seymour view, theKrimmel Election Scene and others. A century ago the newly-built FairmountWater Works were one of the leading sights of the city, and they accord-ingly assumed an iconographic significance surprising to us today. Theywere a favorite theme for artists for years, and in consequence a fine sequenceof prints, some in aquatint, but mostly lithographs, remains as a memorialto their early-Victorian reputation. Most of these views, in excellent impres-sions, are in the Society's collection. In fact our group of lithographs isvery complete, comprising as it does, views of the Commissioners' Halls, theUnion Volunteer Refreshment Saloon, and similar scenes. The Wild andChevalier, and Bowen sets are present of course.
As for drawings, there is a surprisingly rich and varied assortment. Ridg-way Evans, a rather more pedestrian topographer than Kennedy, heads thelist with 245 items, accurate architecturally and valuable historically, if un-inspired artistically. Two albums of water colors, chiefly of Bucks Countyviews, by Kollner represent that artist adequately, while two sketch books
140
1942 PRINTS IN THE SOCIETY 141
of Joseph Pennell, done in the seventies, rank among the most interestingpieces of the collection. Unfortunately we have only three rather unim-portant drawings by William Birch (a serious lacuna), but his son Thomasis represented by several small but choice seascapes. An artist who assumesreal stature in the Society's collection is the Pennsylvania-German GeorgeLehman, whose water colors show the graceful touch of the best work ofthe great English water colorists: he is decidedly first rate. Another surpris-ingly good water colorist is W. L. Breton, better known as an artist forvarious lithographers; his 50 drawings of Philadelphia buildings are accurateand full of spirit. A later "find" is Ed Costello, whose water colors of oldhouses, done in the eighties, are finished and lovely productions. Two sur-prises in the collection are the fine water colors by Major Andre and a seriesof silhouette initials by Thackeray. Sketch books of Benjamin West andBayard Taylor add character to the whole.
Under the general head of drawings must be included a considerable num-ber of architectural water colors and plans. Chief among these is Latrobe'salbum of the Bank of Pennsylvania, while there are many drawings of asimilar nature by Strickland, Haviland, and Walter. This subsection formsa distinct but important division of the collection.
There is in the collection a great deal besides views of Philadelphia. Othercities are not forgotten, and among our most valuable prints are Birch'sviews of New York, the usual one and the so-called White Horse View.There is also most of the fine set known as Scenographia Americana, a seriesof line engravings of American views done after sketches by British officialsof the 1760's. Hill's great aquatint folio of American scenery is here in afine copy, and there are fine lithographic views of Harrisburg, Reading, andother Pennsylvania towns. Naval and military prints are well represented,particularly those of the War of 1812, and there are several of the greatEnglish naval aquatints. Portraits also form a distinct section, and it is nottoo much to say that we have most of the important early American portraits.
There are gaps in the collection, it is true, but they are not numerous andthere are only three prints on the "must" list: Holland's View, Cartwright'sView of Schuylkill, and Hill's View of Philadelphia from Fairmount. It isof course more difficult to be as dogmatic about the completeness of ourcollection of drawings.
As regards classification, the prints have been arranged throughout bysubject, while the drawings have been catalogued alphabetically by artist,or by subject if the artist is unknown. Series of views, as, for example, theBirch Views, have been listed in sets as one item, and the individual printshave also been included under their proper subject headings. There is oneexception to this, namely, the Bowen set which being from the same platesas the Wild and Chevalier set is not listed separately by subject. The seriesis entered as a set, however, and may be so found by the curious. Scenographia
142 PRINTS IN THE SOCIETY January
Americana is given a separate grouping of its own, as it seemed that in thisparticular case, such an arrangement would be helpful for reference.
In no sense does this list of prints claim to be a definitive catalogue ofPhiladelphia views; it is merely a check list of the more important Philadel-phia prints in the possession of The Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Withthe exception of the three prints mentioned above, which we lack, the listincludes every important print of Philadelphia made before the Civil War,and it is hoped, therefore, that this check list may be of value as a work ofreference.
When we came to the drawings the problems involved in listing everysketch in a sketch book or every water color in an album soon became mani-fest. Consequently, descriptive notes on the collections in the drawing cata-logue were substituted for a list of the contents of each album or sketch book.The Kennedy drawings have been admirably catalogued by Mr. H. B.Mclntire, although Kennedy's other views (of less value) have not beenlisted in Mclntire's manuscript. If space permits, the Evans and Pennell listswill follow at a later date. The manuscript catalogue of the Kennedy draw-ings is too large for inclusion in the Magazine, but it may eventually be pub-lished as a separate monograph.
Works of reference on the iconography of Philadelphia are still inadequate.Stauffer's great book (with Mantle Fielding's sequel) is much the best, butit includes only line engravings, etchings, aquatints, a very few mezzotints,and nothing that is not of American origin. Phelps Stokes' Views is a usefulsupplement to Staufler for prints done in Europe, but it deals only with theNew York Public Library's collection. The same criticism holds for Phillips'book, which lists only the prints in the Library of Congress. There is no listof lithographic views of American cities, hence a blank has been left underReferences—the term "undescribed" being reserved for those types ofprints where descriptive lists exist. Peters' America on Stone is the classic onthe subject, but the number of lithographs was far too great for him to attempta complete catalogue, and only where he has mentioned specific prints in thetext have I given references to his book. There is, of course, no work ofreference for the drawings, but notices of many of the arists may be found inJackson's Encyclopaedia of Philadelphia, Peters' America on Stone or in thefirst volume of StaufEer's book.
It only remains to record my gratitude to two people without whose verygreat help the task could never have been carried out, Miss Sarah Bond andMr. Leonard Sessler.
Devon, Pennsylvania BOIES PENROSE
1942 PRINTS IN THE SOCIETY
Note
The following abbreviations have been used:
Fielding, for Mantle Fielding, American Engravers upon Copper and Steel.A Supplement to Stauffer's American Engravers (1917)
Hart, for C. H. Hart, Catalogue of the Engraved Portraits of Washington(1904)
Janson, for C. A. Janson, The Stranger in America (1807)Peters, for H. T. Peters, America on Stone (1931)Phillips, for P. L. Phillips, List of Maps and Views of Philadelphia in the
Library of Congress (1926)Stauf., for D. McN. Stauffer, American Engravers upon Copper and Steel
(1907)Stokes, for Phelps Stokes, American Historical Prints (1932)Stokes, Icon., for Phelps Stokes, Iconography of Manhattan Island (1915-24)U., for uncoloredC , for coloredT., for tinted
Trims
H3
SubjectSeries of ViewsSeries of Views(12 plates)
Series of Views(inc. 4 panoramas)
Series of Views(without panoramas)
Series of ViewsView of Phila. in 1702View of Phila.
View of Phila.
View of Phila.(Carwitham view,2d state)
View of Phila.
View of Phila.(imaginary)
ArtistW. Birch
W . Birch
Wi ld
Wi ldWi ld—«—
—,—
—'—Hoffman
PART I
PHILADELPHIA VIEWS
Publisheror
EngraverW. Birch
T. Birch
Chevalier
BowenBowenWadeScull & Heap
(large view)Scull & Heap
(for LondonMag.)
Bowles & CarverScoles
{N.Y.Mag.)
B. F. Leizelt
MediumEtching
Etching
Litho.
Litho.Litho.Litho.Etching
Etching
• EtchingEtching
Line
Date1799
1828
1838
183818401875
1753
1795
C.fU.orT.
c. &u.
c.
u.
u.c.t.u.
u.
c.c.
c.
ReferenceStauf., 159-188
Stauf., 159-188
Peters, 401 -2
Peters, 103-4Peters, 103-4Peters, 393Stokes, 31
Phillips, 440
Stokes, 24Fielding, 1344
Phillips, 441
144 PRINTS IN THE SOCIETY January
SubjectView of Phila.(from Kensington)
View of Phila.(from Kensington)
View of Phila.(from Kensington)
View of Phila.(from Treaty Tree)
View of Phila.(from Treaty Tree)
View of Phila.(from Treaty Tree)
View of Phila.(from the Navy Yard)
View of Phila.(from the Navy Yard)
View of Phila.View of Phila.(from Camden)
View of Phila.(and Camden)
View of Phila.(from Camden)
View of Phila.(fromBelmont)
View of Phila.(fromBelmont)
View of Phila.(from Girard College)
View of Phila.(panorama—StateHouse looking North)
View of Phila.(panorama—StateHouse looking South)
View of Phila.(panorama—StateHouse looking East)
View of Phila.(panorama—StateHouse looking West)
View of Phila.(panorama—StateHouse looking East)
PHILADELPHIA VIEWS
Artist
W. Birch
T. Birch
T. Birch
T. Birch
G. Beck
Lehman
Wild
J. W. Hill
Garneray
G. Matter
A. Kollner
J.W. Hill
Serz
Weber
J. W. Hill
Wild
Wild
Wild
Wild
Publisheror
Engraver
W. Birch
Cone
Seymour
Seymour
Cartwright
Lehman
Chevalier
J. Hill
Hymely
J. H. Locher
Kollner
B. F. Smith
Schaefer
Serz
B. F. Smith
Bowen
Bowen
Bowen
Bowen
(Continued)
Medium
Etching
Line
Line
Etching
Aquatint
Aquatint
Litho.
Aquatint
Aquatint
Litho.
Litho.
Litho.
Woodcut
Line
Litho.
Litho.
Litho.
Litho.
Litho.
Litho.
Date
1800
1828
1801
1801
1838
1836
1856
1850
1838
1838
1838
1838
,
C.,U.orT.
c.
u.
u.
c.
c.
c. & u.
u.
I C . &
I U.u.
c.
c.
c.
c.
c.
c.
u.
u.
u.
u.
c.
Reference
Stauf., 178
Stauf., 429
Stauf., 2882
Fielding, 1433
Stokes, 80-2
Fielding, 951
Phillips, 462
Stauf.,1351
Stokes, 130-1
Peters, 254
Peters,
Phillips, 466
Peters, 103-4
Peters, 103-4
Peters, 103-4
Peters, 103-4
1942 PRINTS IN THE SOCIETY H5PHILADELPHIA VIEWS (Continued)
SubjectView of Phila.
(panorama—StateHouse looking North)
View of Phila.(panorama—StateHouse looking West)
Academy of Fine ArtsAcademy of Fine ArtsAcad. of Nat. SciencesAcad. of Nat. SciencesAlms HouseAlms HouseArch Street FerryArch Street TheatreBank of PennsylvaniaBank of PennsylvaniaBank of PennsylvaniaBank of U. S. (First)Bank of U.S. (First)Bank of U.S.Bank of U.S.Bank of U. S.Bank of U. S.Bank of U. S.Bank of U. S.Bank of U.S.Beck's Shot TowerBelmont, View fromBelmont Cricket ClubBush HillCentre SquareCentre Sq. Water Wks.Centre Sq. Water Wks.Centre Sq. Water Wks.Chestnut St., east of 5thChestnut St., bet. 8th &
9th
Chestnut Street TheatreChestnut Street TheatreChestnut Street TheatreChrist Church
(plan)Eastern PenitentiaryFairmount DamFairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.
Fairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.Fairmount Water Wks.
Gray's FerryGray's FerryGray's FerryHigh StreetHigh StreetHigh Street BridgeHigh Street BridgeHigh Street BridgeHigh Street BridgeHigh Street MarketsHouse of EmploymentInclined PlaneJailLafayette's Arrivalin Phila.
LansdowneLaurel Hill CemeteryLemon HillLibrary & Surgeon's
Hall
Artist
DoughtyShawShaw
T. BirchBurton
Breton
StricklandBurtonBurtonW. Birch
WalterLehmanWild
——C. W. PealeC. W. PealeLehmanW. BirchW. BirchW. BirchW. BirchOwen BiddleBusbyBirchGarrisonWildW. Birch
Schuylkill ViewSchuylkill at ManayunkSecond St. Northfrom Market
Second St. Northfrom Market
SedgleySedgleySolitude
Haviland
W. Birch
W. Birch
BretonW. Birch
WildBretonR. S. SmithStrickland
Breton
~
G. Cooke
WatsonLehman
W. Birch
W. BirchW. BirchClayW. Birch
From a directory
Boyd
W. Birch
Port-Folio
W. Birch
ChildsW. Birch
W. H. Rease
ChevalierKennedyRichardChilds
Kennedy
J. R. Smith
Longman
(from ColumbianMagazine)
Woodcut
Line
Etching
Line
Etching
Litho.Etching
Litho.
Litho.Litho.Litho.Litho.Line
Litho.
Aquatint
EtchingEtching
: Etching
(from Columbian EtchingMagazine)
ChildsChilds
W. Birch
MarigotW. BirchChildsW. Birch
LineLine
Etching
AquatintEtchingLineEtching
1839
1799
1799
18301799
_
1838182918421830
1829
c 17951812
1789
1789
18271829
1799
1807
1828
u.
u.
c.
u.
c.
u.c.
u.
t.u.u.c.u.
u.
u.
c.u.
u.
u.
u.u.
c.
u.c.u.c.
—,—
Stauf., 271
Stauf., 168
undescribed
Stauf., 169
Peters, 108Phillips, 296
Phillips, 336
_____
Stauf., 375
Fielding, 1459
undescribed_
undescribed
undescribed
Stauf., 373Stauf., 372
Stauf., 165
Janson, 297Stauf., 205Stauf., 374Stauf., 206
150 PRINTS IN THE SOCIETY January
PHILADELPHIA VIEWS (Continued)
SubjectState House
State House(close copy of above)
State HouseState House Group
State HouseState HouseState HouseState House
(back view)State HouseState House ElectionScene
State House GardenState in SchuylkillSwedes' ChurchSwedes' ChurchThird Street, shop inThird & Market Sts.Third St. from SpruceUnfinished HouseUnitarian ChurchUnited States HotelUnited States HotelU. S. MintU. S. MintUniversity of Penna.University of Penna.Upper Ferry BridgeUpper Ferry BridgeUpper Ferry BridgeUpper Ferry BridgeUpper Ferry BridgeUpper Ferry BridgeUpper Ferry fromS.E.
Victuallers, Proces-sion of
Victuallers, Proces-sion of (White'sCattle Show)
ArtistFaden
C. W. Peale
PoleniW. BirchStrickland
W. BirchWild
KrimmelW. BirchSwettW. BirchSully
W. BirchW. BirchW. BirchReinagleStricklandDacreStricklandWildStricklandWildT. BirchT. Birch
LehmanBurton
C. A. Busby
Krimmel
Krimmel
Publisheror
Engraverfrom Faden's
Map
MediumLine
R. Bennett EtchingTrenchard Etchingfrom Columbian Etching
MagazineHunter Litho.W. Birch EtchingChilds Line
W. BirchChevalier
LawsonW. BirchSwettW. BirchChildsKlinckowstromW. BirchW. BirchW. BirchChildsKearnyDuvalHayChevalierSteelChevalierSeymourJ. J. PlocherStricklandKlinckowstromChildsFenner, Sears