Views of Pittsburgh

[ Reference book on views of Pittsburgh ]

Karl Bodmer, (1809-1893), is considered by many authorities to be the greatest 19th-century artist to have produced prints of the American west. Bodmer and his patron, Prince Maximilian of Wied, came to America from Germany in 1832. With Bodmer in charge of the pictorial documentary, Prince Maximilian, an experienced and respected traveler and naturalist, set out to put together as complete a study as possible of the western territories of the United States. The result was the publication of Maximilian's journals in successive German, French, and English editions between 1839 and 1843, and with it, a picture atlas of eighty-one aquatint plates after paintings by Bodmer. This picture volume is now regarded as one of the most comprehensive and finest visual surveys of the western territories ever made. Soon after Prince Maximilian and Bodmer's arrival in the United States, the party toured the Eastern United States. As the prince collected biological specimens, Bodmer would illustrate the countryside and occasionally, the specimens themselves. This is Bodmer's image of the penitentiary at Pittsburgh. $925
Go to page with listing of other Bodmer prints

Sherman Day. "Pittsburg, From The Northwest." From Historical Collections of the State of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: George W. Gorton 1843. 3 1/4 x 6 5/8. Wood engraving. Very good condition. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 11.

During the middle of the nineteenth century, Pennsylvania's economy experienced new, state-wide growth, sparking new interest in previously lesser-known areas of the state. Prompting travel to new communities, this economic growth also sparked publication of new books to satisfy curiosity about all parts of Pennsylvania. One of the most important such works, Sherman Day's Historical Collections is noted for its individual county histories, well-illustrated with charming wood-engravings, including this wonderful scene of Pittsburgh. The scene is the first print to emphasize Pittsburgh's industry. The city is shown from a viewpoint on the south bank of the Ohio River below the Point. Good detail of the terrain, bridges, and buildings is included, but the most noticeable features are the dark columns of smoke spewing forth from Pittsburgh's many smokestacks. This emphasis was quite intentional, for Day was purposely promoting Pennsylvania's industry. He gave these instructions to the engraver, "Please give to the smoke [of Pittsburgh] a graceful easy appearance. The buildings in the foreground are very dark being constantly exposed to smoke." $60

After J.W. Kerr. "Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh." Frontispiece issued in Western Pennsylvania Hospital Annual Report of the Managers…For the Years 1852 and 1853-4. Pittsburgh, 1854. Lithograph by William Schuchman. 4 1/4 x 7 5/8. i: 50.

The Western Pennsylvania Hospital was founded in 1848 as Pittsburgh's first chartered, public hospital. This image was based on the architectural plans for the building by J.W. Kerr, showing the building which opened 1853. This print was first issued by Schuchman and Haunlein in 1851 and reused here for the hospital's first annual report. With complete report. $60

B.F. Smith Jr. "Pittsburgh and Allegheny," From The Ladies' Repository: A Monthly Periodical, Devoted To Literature and Religion. Cincinnati: April, 1854. Engraving by W. Wellstood. 4 1/4 x 7 1/4. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 51.

An unusual and scarce steel engraving from The Ladies' Repository. This mid-nineteenth century periodical was produced in Cincinnati by members of the Methodist Church. It was a magazine "Devoted To Literature and Religion," containing articles, poetry, fiction, and notes of interest to its readers. One of its most interesting aspects was the inclusion of steel engravings. Many had a religious or "genre" theme, but others were topographical views of different parts of the United States. This magazine had a limited circulation and so these prints are quite a bit more scarce than most steel engravings of the period. Some of the views are based on images by W.H. Bartlett, but others are taken either from some of the large folio views of the period or are drawn first hand for The Ladies' Repository. This view was based on a large bird's eye view by B.F. Smith, Jr. Whatever their source, these prints are among the most interesting and hard-to-find American views of the middle of last century. $125

"Beaver Heights. (Near Pittsburgh on the Ohio River.)" From The Ladies' Repository: A Monthly Periodical, Devoted To Literature and Religion. Cincinnati: May 1854. Octavo. Steel engraving. Very good condition.

Another view of western Pennsylvania from Ladies' Repository. This one was issued a year after the Pittsburgh print (cf. above) and it shows the Beaver River near to where it runs into the Ohio River. $110

C. Inger. "St. Philomena Church, Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh: J.A. Miller, 1859. Copyright deposit September 21, 1859. Tinted lithograph by A. Krebs & Bro. 16 1/4 x 11 1/2. Very good condition. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 79.

A wonderful tinted lithograph of St. Philomena Church, founded in 1839 as the first German ethnic parish in Pittsburgh. The building, located in the Strip District, was started in 1842 and completed four years later. As the Strip District became more commercialized, it was decided to move the parish to Squirrel Hill and the original church was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1922. This print, but A. Krebs & Bro., shows the original building. A steam engine is shown passing by, with the streets teeming with well-dressed pedestrians. A rare print of a lost Pittsburgh landmark. $425

After J.W. Kerr. "Western Pennsylvania Hospital For The Insane." Frontispiece for Western Pennsylvania Hospital. Annual Report of the Managers ... for 1859. Pittsburgh: W.S. Hayes, 1860. Lithograph by A. Krebs & Bro. 3 5/8 x 7 3/8. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 85.

An image of the new "Dixmont" building of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane, designed by J.W. Kerr. Construction on this building began in 1859 and was completed in 1862. Also included in this annual report is a "Ground Plan" for the hospital, though the plan does not contain text identifying the building or the lithographer. $55

Charles Stanley Reinhart. "Views about Pittsburg, Pennsylvania." From Harper's Weekly. New York, February 18, 1871. Wood engraving. Double page; 11 1/2 x 20 1/4. Very good condition. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 126.

Harper's Weekly remains one of the best sources for lively, informative images of 19th-century America. Each issue was filled with popular genre and detailed historical prints through which much of the country got its visual information about their world. Views of American cities were amongst the most popular of prints of the period, and this is a particularly nice example of that genre. It is a collage of images of Pittsburgh at a time great industrial growth and prosperity. The central image shows Pittsburgh from across the Allegheny River while the surrounding vignettes focus primarily on various industries, such as "Blowing Glass," "Melting Steel" and a "Coal flotilla on the Ohio River." $125

Theo. R. Davis. "The Pittsburg Flood." From Harper's Weekly. New York: August 14, 1874. Wood engraving. Double page; 12 3/4 x 20 1/2. Very good condition. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 149.

A three part image showing the great 1874 flood. Top third shows "The Upper Portion of Alleghany City, Showing Butcher's Run and Spring Garden Run." The bottom third includes two images: "The Flood in O'Hara Street," and "The Search For the Dead." $125

Fred B. Schell. "View of Pittsburgh, Looking Up The Ohio." From William H. Egle's An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Harrisburg: De Witt C. Goodrich & Co., 1876. Wood engraving. 4 7/8 x 7 3/8.

Fred B. Schell, who made numerous drawings for Haper's Weekly, also supplied images for illustrated books in the middle of the nineteenth century. This is his image of Pittsburgh from just west of the city along the Ohio. $40

"St. Peter's Church, Brownstown, Pittsburgh, Penn. Southside." Ca. 1874. Two tone lithograph by Packard & Butler, Philadelphia. 11 3/4 x 13 1/4. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 269a.

A folio lithograph showing St. Peter's Church, intended to be sold to members of the congregation, probably shortly after the second building used for the church (shown in the main scene) was consecrated on November 15, 1874. In the top right is an inset for "St. Peter's School," the building for which was the first building used for the church (built 1871-72. The "sister's house" and "priest's residence" are also shown and identified below the image. A horse drawn trolley, with the sign "South Side & Market St.," is shown passing the church. The print includes a line for the name of a Pastor below image. $425

W.G. Armor. "Burning of Union Depot During the Railroad Riot July 21st and 22nd 1877. Pittsburgh, PA." Pittsburgh, ca. 1881. Chromolithograph by Otto Krebs. Engraved on stone by William G. Armor. 14 1/2 x 20 1/2. Repaired tear just into image at left and light water stain in lower left corner. Overall, very good condition. Panorama of Pittsburgh: 274.

One of the most traumatic events in Pittsburgh's history was the great railroad strike of 1877. This was the first widespread labor uprising in the United States and a pivotal event in American labor history. The strike began in West Virginia and soon spread throughout the country, increasing in violence until the Federal government intervened and the strike was brought to an end after a month and a half. Pittsburgh was the site of some of the worst violence of the strike. On July 21st, Pennsylvania militia troops were brought in to try to control the situation but things got out of hand. A large mob gathered at the railroad yards-made up of at least as many present only to cause trouble as were actual strikers-and soon there was fighting and an exchange of gun fire between the strikers and militia. By morning the troops were put to flight and the rioters turned to burning and looting.

A local printmaker, Otto Krebs, produced this dramatic print showing the "Burning of the Union Depot During the Railroad Riot July 21st and 22nd 1877. Pittsburgh, PA." This colorful chromolithograph depicts the depot being consumed by flames, with a large, angry mob surrounding it and looking for more trouble. Demand for such a print would have been created both by those who were interested in a memorial of this significant local event and by those who had not been present and were interested to see an image of what transpired. It is likely Krebs would have found a ready market for his print among local citizens, with some copies undoubtedly making it to other parts of the country as well. An interesting note about this print is that the scene was copied, without attribution, from a wood engraving which appeared in Harper's Weekly on August 11, 1877. A list of those killed in the riot is included below the title. $1,800

Featuring more than 130 exhibition images, the thematic essay begins with images of Pittsburgh before the fire of 1845 and progresses through views from books and magazines, prints documenting events, illustrated newspapers, frameable views, advertising, music sheets, and other types of prints. The catalogue also provides background information on the most prominent Pittsburgh-based printmakers, a list of printmakers assembled from period sources and the most encyclopedic list of nineteenth-century prints of the city that has ever been assembled. $39.95

-- A paperbound edition of the catalogue listed above. Also signed by the author. $24.95

Panorama of Pittsburgh was conceived as a long-term reference book on nineteenth-century views of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh printmakers. The publication of such a work inevitably leads to new information being brought forth, including previously unknown prints. In order to further the intended scholarly aims of this publication, we will maintain a detailed reference site that will document prints not included in the book's listing and note any discovered errors or additions.

Click here to go to page of addenda and corrigendum for Panorama of Pittsburgh

Place Order

Other view pages: [ Location Index | Subject Index | Artists ]

To Contact us, call, write, fax or e-mail to:

8441 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118 USA
(215) 242-4750 [Phone]
(215) 242-6977 [Fax]
PhilaPrint@PhilaPrintShop.com

©The Philadelphia Print Shop, Ltd. Last updated October 31, 2008