Lithograph printed in color, c.1877.
Image size 18 7/8 x 29 3/8" (48 x 74.6 cm).
Good condition and color. LOCATION: New York City
Inventory Number: 54112
Price: $9,500.00
Publisher : Copyrighted by John Bachmann, 1877.
H. Bencke Lith. 207 Fulton St. N.Y. This is a very rare and unusual view of New York City from Brooklyn looking west. The city is shown as the artist and publisher thought it would look in the near future. The Brooklyn Bridge, known at the time as The Great East River Suspension Bridge, was under construction but would take another six years to complete. The bridge is shown in its full glory; however, the perspective is out of proportion. The Statue of Liberty designed by Bartholdi is seen in the harbor, it was a gift from France to America for the centennial a year earlier. The city would not raise money to build the base and install the statue until 1886. Another point is that in the print the Statue of Liberty is facing out to sea, as was originally proposed by the sculptor. During the installation in the 1880s, it was decided to turn the statue around and have it face the City which it does to this day. The date "1877" is stamped on the print rather than printed, this is presumably so the publisher could keep the date current and improve sales. 18th-19th Century Subjects, New York City, Manhattan