LOCKPORT, ERIE CANAL

Art

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Entry/Object ID

L.2007.24

Description

Steel cut engraving of two canal locks flanked by rustic buildings: a canal runs through the center of the scene; in the background the canal is flanked by steep hills, covered with houses and trees; a tall bridge crosses the canal in the distance; in the foreground are two locks at a higher level than the canal below; in the bottom right corner, two figures, one with his back to the viewer, are conversing; another figure stands with his back to the viewer and looks down at the canal below; a fourth figure leans on one of the locks; a fifth figure is walking away from the viewer; two additional figures are in conversation, one pointing at the lock and the other at a stopped barge; the final figure stands on the barge, a pole in hand; the barge waits in front of one of the locks and has "OHIO OF ROME I BUFFALO" printed on its side; the locks are flanked with roughly-made buildings on either side; the building on the left is labeled "BAKERY"; below the scene, on far left corner, is printed, "W.H.Bartlett."; in center is printed a miniscule "53"; on far right corner is printed, "W. Tombleson."; in center, the title is printed, "LOCKPORT, ERIE CANAL."; on bottom left the title translated to French is printed, "LOCKPORT CANAL ERIÉ."; on bottom right the title translated to German is printed, "DIE STADT LOCKPORT UND DER CANAL ERIE."; on bottom center is printed, "London, Published for the Proprietors, by Geo: Virtue, 26, Ivy Lane, 1839."

Artwork Details

Medium

Paper (wove), Ink, Paper (wove), ink

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

William Henry Bartlett

Attribution

Artist

Manufacturer

George Virtue

Date made

1839

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

8 in

Width

10-3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 8 x 10 3/4 in. (20.3 x 27.3 cm)

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Slight darkening surrounding the image (from the mat); loss of gold leaf along edge, bottom right corner; accretion of miniscule specks of gold leaf throughout surface; faint mark just below image, three inches from right edge of paper; indent on top edge, 1 ½ inches from right; recto has graphite markings, top left corner and traces of erased graphite markings, top right corner, and two pieces of adhesive tap along top edge.

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

William Diebold

Notes

Former owner

Related Entries

Notes

L.2007.59 - Engraving - Similar item

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

Diebold Box #45 "785/I" written in pencil on back and mat top left corner in pencil; "£20" written in pencil on back top right corner of mat; dealer's label from "Robert Douwma Prints and Maps Ltd" on back center of mat.

Note Type

General Note

Note

Lockport, Erie Canal is plate number 53 in American Scenery: Or, Land, Lake and River Illustrations of Transatlantic Nature. Publisher George Virtue commissioned William H. Bartlett to illustrate American Scenery, for which N.P. Willis wrote the text. Bartlett completed these watercolor drawings during two visits to America between 1836 and 1838. The drawings were engraved starting in 1837 by numerous English engravers and published in installments of four engravings. Subscribers could have the prints bound in two volumes in 1840 when the installments were complete.

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Administrative Office, Archive Room, Shelf O3, B4

Note Type

Department

Note

Library