CHARACTERISTIC SCENERY OF THE HUDSON RIVER

Object/Artifact

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Entry/Object ID

L.2012.24

Description

This illustration, engraved by George Cook, was originally printed in an 1812 multi-volume anthology of traveler's accounts entitled A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, by John Pinkerton. The plate served as an illustration related to the account of Professor Peter Kalm, an eighteenth- century Swedish botanist and naturalist who traveled the length of the Hudson in 1749. In his account, Kalm described the discrepancy shown here between the eastern and western shores of the river about twelve miles north of New York City. The western shore "consists of steep mountains with perpendicular sides towards the river... Sometimes a rock projects like the salliant [sic] angle of a bastion." Kalm also describes the small boats plying this part of the river, as well as the porpoises and sturgeon he observed in this stretch of the river. Colored engraving of river scene with four sailboats on calm water; at left, tall wooded cliff with rocky outcrop; at center foreground, two small figures at water's edge; at center, large building with moored boat; low horizon with light clouds above; above building, a flock of birds; in foreground, small figures working boats; at bottom center, printed:" Engraved by George Cooke.", "Characteristic Scenery of the Hudson River", "London; Published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orne & Brown, Paternoster Row, April 1, 1812."

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

George Cooke

Attribution

Engraver

Manufacturer

Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orne & Brown

Date made

Apr 1, 1812

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

5-3/16 in

Width

8-1/8 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 5 3/16 x 8 1/8 in. (13.2 x 20.6 cm)

Material

Paper (wove), ink, Watercolor

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Paper lightly soiled and yellowed at edges; paper loss on verso top edge center is visible above image on front; pencil mark (number "8") at top right; two minor losses along right edge crease; light brown stain below lower left corner of image; small yellow dots (stain) in vertical line 1 5/8 inch in from lower left side appears to be page cut from book.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

William Diebold

Notes

Former owner

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

This object was accessioned in 2012, but it was acquired earlier [Jessa J. Krick, 4/12/2012].

Note Type

General Note

Note

Engraving listed in "Hudson-Fulton celebration: A collection of the catalogues issued by the museums and institutions in New York city and vicinity. Shown under the auspices of the Hudson-Fulton celebration commission, describing the special collections of plants, animals, archæological objects, furniture, maps, silver, letters, paintings and objects of artistic and historical interest in connection with the Hudson and Fulton periods" : http://books.google.com/books?id=Ed4yAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA4-PA56&lpg=RA4-PA56&dq=Engraved+by+George+Cooke.%22,+%22Characteristic+Scenery+of+the+Hudson+River&source=bl&ots=3QxT6tl1km&sig=q_OLXkKwuQ_pP2ud9yc4-KHCnbs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VBIkUI_JKtDM6QGe34GwAw&ved=0CEIQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Engraved%20by%20George%20Cooke.%22%2C%20%22Characteristic%20Scenery%20of%20the%20Hudson%20River&f=false

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Administrative Office, Archive Room, Shelf O3, B5

Note Type

Department

Note

Library