The image shows a settlement from a slightly elevated perspective. In the foreground are wooden houses and small structures arranged neatly along dirt paths. In the background, there is a large industrial structure with steam rising from it. Towards the horizon, there is a line of dense trees against the sky. The color palette is dominated by sepia tones, giving the scene an aged look. The overall landscape includes industrial facilities, wooded hills, outbuildings, and stacks of supplies. The depiction, whether a painting or a photograph, conveys precise and detailed brushstrokes capturing industrial and residential elements.
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The image shows a settlement from a slightly elevated perspective. In the foreground are wooden houses and small structures arranged neatly along dirt paths. In the background, there is a large industrial structure with steam rising from it. Towards the horizon, there is a line of dense trees against the sky. The color palette is dominated by sepia tones, giving the scene an aged look. The overall landscape includes industrial facilities, wooded hills, outbuildings, and stacks of supplies. The depiction, whether a painting or a photograph, conveys precise and detailed brushstrokes capturing industrial and residential elements.

National Gallery of Art · Photograph

Birdsey Breaker, Archbald, Del. & Hudson Canal Co.

Thomas H. Johnson

Date
c. 1863-1865
Medium
albumen silver print
Dimensions
image/sheet: 30.6 × 40.8 cm (12 1/16 × 16 1/16 in.) mount: 45.4 × 55.6 cm (17 7/8 × 21 7/8 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Accession number
2016.152.9
Credit line
Alfred H. Moses and Fern M. Schad Fund
Time span
1851 to 1875
Department
CPH

Subjects and terms

  • American
  • albumen silver print
  • Landscape
  • Industry
  • Train
  • Railroad
  • Transportation
  • Canal
  • Pennsylvania
  • industrial
  • architecture
Provenance

Donald B. Merritt, Parish, New York. (sale, Estate of Walter G. Rich, Kingston, NY, 2014); (Daniel Wolf, Inc., New York); NGA purchase, 2016.

Inscription

lower center printed in black ink: BIRDSEY BREAKER. / (ARCHBALD.) / DEL. & HUD. CANAL CO.; lower right printed in gold ink: JOHNSON, Photographer, Scranton, Pa.; on verso, lower right stamped in black ink: DONALD B. MERRITT / Box 181 / PARISH, NEW YORK; lower right stamped in green ink: 02; by unknown hand, bottom right in graphite: Dwi.17292.7

NGA object ID 207964. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.