New York from Bergen Hill, Hoboken (A birds eye view).
London: Illustrated London News, 1876. First printing. Print. Panoramic woodblock engraving published in London, August 16th 1876, from the Illustrated London News, the prominent English newspaper of the time. A commanding view over all Manhattan from the heights of Hoboken (at an artistically exaggerated elevation.) The foreground includes the New Jersey river shore with much open space and a steam train. The Hudson, as usual, is full of boats, sloops, clippers, ferries, steam ships & barges. The Brooklyn Bridge support pillars are under construction and the reservoir is clearly visible in Central Park.
Woodblock engraving was the medium for newspaper illustration until photography superseded it. The woodblocks were carved, and had the disadvantage of having a limited life before they were worn beyond use. This resulted in a limited number of copies of the illustrations. It was not technically feasible for the blocks to be larger than 3" without splitting in the press, so larger illustrations were printed by a series of contiguous woodblocks. Originally folded, this fine engraving has been flattened, restored and laid on archival canvas making it very durable and ready to frame. Black and white, as issued, image size 42 x 22 1/2" (107 cm x 57 cm) with margins, suitable for framing. Very good condition. Item #8775
Price: $2,000.00