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First Bank of the United States, Philadelphia
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Frederick DeBourg Richards, who was trained as a painter, was an accomplished Philadelphia photographer. His notoriety for complex architectural compositions was beautifully realized in this oblique, elevated view of the First Bank of the United States in Philadelphia. This warm-toned photograph, rich with detail, is a rare example of early cityscape photography. Designed by Samuel Blodgett with Joseph P. LeGrand, the bank resembles a marble mansion. Completed in 1797, it was probably the first building with a classic façade of marble to be erected in the United States. Indeed, the animated street life that Richards included was unusual for this period of photography.
| Artist / Maker | Frederick DeBourg Richards |
|---|---|
| Date | 1859 |
| Culture / Origin | America |
| Medium | salted paper print from wet collodion negative |
| Dimensions | Image: 20.4 x 15.5 cm (8 1/16 x 6 1/8 in.); Paper: 22.3 x 16.4 cm (8 3/4 x 6 7/16 in.); Matted: 50.8 x 40.6 cm (20 x 16 in.) |
| Department | Photography |
| Type | Photograph |
About the Artist
BiographyFrederick DeBourg Richards (1822–1903) — American artist (1822–1903).Frederick DeBourg Richards worked as artist and photographer and is associated with United States. Their documented life spans the years 1822 to 1903, born in Wilmington, died in Philadelphia.Disciplinesartist, photographerBorn1822, WilmingtonDied1903, PhiladelphiaNationalityUnited StatesSources: Wikidata Full biography →
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
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