View of Boston

Attributed to Victor De Grailly (1808–1889) after William H. Bartlett (1809–1854)
Paris, c. 1845
Oil on canvas
30 x 37 3/4 in.
Gift of Eleanor Norris in memory of her mother, Madeleine Tinkham Miller
2004.12

In the first half of the nineteenth century, Boston was a thriving port and a densely populated city. This view is taken from Dorchester Heights in South Boston looking northeast toward Boston, with Charlestown beyond. The painting is thought to have been done by French artist Victor De Grailly, who, although best known for his views of America, never set foot in the country. He found a profitable market copying published prints of American cities and landscapes by British artist William H. Bartlett.

Conservation funds provided by Robert Bayard Severy in memory of his father, Robert Pease Severy (1899-1992)