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Start Over You searched for: Level Collection Remove constraint Level: Collection Names William L. Clements Library , University of Michigan Remove constraint Names: William L. Clements Library , University of Michigan Subjects Prints shelf. Remove constraint Subjects: Prints shelf. Formats Landscapes (Representations) Remove constraint Formats: Landscapes (Representations)
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Collection

Charles Forrest Watercolors, 1780-1781

5 watercolors in 1 box

The Charles Forrest watercolors consist of five topographical watercolors of the island of St. Lucia produced by Lieutenant Charles Forrest of the 90th Regiment of Foot while stationed there in 1780 to 1781.

The Charles Forrest watercolors consist of five topographical watercolors of the island of St. Lucia produced by Lieutenant Charles Forrest of the 90th Regiment of Foot while stationed there in 1780 to 1781.

Three of Forrest's views focus on Carenage Bay on St. Lucia's west coast, and include notes on the fighting between the British and French on the island in December 1778. The other two views depict the anchorage of Gros Islet Bay in June 1781, drawn while Forrest was onboard the HMS Lizard.

While the Clements only has five of Forrest's St. Lucia watercolors, he is known to have produced at least seven more. Between 1783 and 1786, twelve of Forrest's views, including the five in this collection, were published as engravings in London.

Collection

Lake Superior Scenery, 1865

26 watercolors in 1 volume

Lake Superior Scenery consists of 26 watercolor sketches produced by artist Albert L. Rawson during a steamboat tour of the Great Lakes (primarily Lake Superior) in 1865. The sketches were compiled into a presentation album gifted to Louise C. Ely, a fellow traveler befriended by Rawson during the tour.

Lake Superior Scenery consists of 26 watercolor sketches produced by artist Albert L. Rawson during a steamboat tour of the Great Lakes (primarily Lake Superior) in 1865. The sketches were compiled into a presentation album gifted to Louise C. Ely, a fellow traveler befriended by Rawson during the tour.

The album (27 x 35.5 cm) has full pebbled burgundy Morocco leather covers replete with gilt decoration and blind-stamped ornamentations. The words “Presented to Mrs. Louise C. Ely By ***** ***** A Lake Superior friend,” “Album,” and “Lake Superior Scenery” are gold stamped on the front cover, spine, and back cover respectively. The binder’s ticket of “Dean Smeal & Hoffman Blank Book Manufacturers and Book Binders 148 Lake Street up stairs, Chicago” appears on the inside of the front cover, likely indicating that Rawson traveled through Chicago at some point during the 1865 steamboat tour. A calling card of “Mrs. C. Arthur Ely” is also tipped-in and includes an inscription reading “Elyria, Lake Superior Views in Water Colors.”

The album begins with an inscribed title reading “Lake Superior Scenery. Sketches by: A. L. Rawson. 1865.” Beneath the title inscription there is also a handwritten table of contents that reads:
  • No. 1 Grand Portal Pictured Rocks.
  • 2 Grand Portal, Interior.
  • 3 Miners Castle.
  • 4 Cascade.
  • 5 Cliff, where Steamer Superior was wrecked 1859.
  • 6 Sail Rock and Profile.
  • 7 Wrecker’s Hut.
  • 8 Stranded Fleet.
  • 9 Carp River. Near Marquette.
  • 10 Cascade near Miner’s Castle.
  • 11 [blank] (untitled scene showing railroad tracks, a train with smoke billowing, a river, and a colorful sky)
  • 12 Lake Michigumi. Round Islands.
  • 13 Chapel. From the Water.
  • 14 Chapel and Fall, East.
  • 15 Dead River, near White’s Burnt Mill.
  • 16 Grand Island Harbor.
  • 17 Superior Iron Mine.
  • 18 In the Woods near Chocolat.
  • 19 Fort Mackinac.
  • 20 Washington Harbor - Lake Michigan.
  • 21 Lake Michigami.
  • 22 Marquette from Chocolat.
  • 23 Marquette from the Water.
  • 24 Picnic Point, near Presque Isle.
  • 25 View near Marquette. Partridge Isle, Picnic Point Presque Isle and grand Island in the distance.
  • 26 Chapel, West.

The table of contents accurately lists the relative position of each watercolor within the album except for the first two items (“Grand Portal Pictured Rocks” appears to be located on pg. 2 while “Grand Portal, Interior” is located on pg. 1).

Items of particular interest include:
  • Eight views depicting various formations of The Pictured Rocks such as the Grand Portal, Miners Castle, Sail Rock, Stranded Fleet, and the Chapel.
  • The view titled “The Wrecker’s Hut” (No. 7) showing a man sat near a birch-bark hut erected on Chapel Beach close to the site where the steamer Superior was wrecked in 1856. The view titled “Cliff where Steamer Superior was wrecked 1859” (No. 5) appears to have gotten the year of the wreck wrong.
  • The view titled “Cascade Near Miner’s Castle” (No. 10) showing the steamboat Comet (built 1857 as a cargo vessel before being converted to hold passengers; she sank in 1875 while carrying seventy tons of Montana silver ore, making her the one and only treasure ship of Lake Superior)
  • Several views of scenes near Marquette, Grand Island, and Lake Michigamme.
  • The view titled “Superior Iron Mine” (No. 17) showing a group of miners at work with sledgehammers and horse-drawn carts.
  • The view titled “Washington Harbor, Lake Michigan” (No. 20) showing a docked steamer at Washington Island, Wisconsin.

Collection

Landmarks of the North & South Atlantic, ca. 1830

1 volume

11 pages of watercolors housed in soft cover sketchbook from ca. 1830 drawn by Master William Carr of the Royal Navy. Watercolors depict topographic views of islands and shorelines in the Atlantic Ocean. Almost all views are of rocky island outlines. A few sketches have man-made structures in the scene.

The collection is made up of a soft cover sketchbook containing 11 pages of watercolor topographic views of islands and shorelines in the Atlantic Ocean. Almost all views are of rocky island outlines. A few sketches have man-made structures in the scene. Most sketches have headings for the page and then descriptive sentences about the various views. Cover of sketchbook reads "Landmarks N & S Atlantic by Mr. Wm Carr, Master R.N." Written on the back cover of sketchbook is the London address of a Capt. B.C. Doyle. On the back of two pages are small pencil sketches: one sketch on the back of Page 10 is of a chronometer or watch and the other sketch on the back of Page 11 is of a ship moored in "springs." The last few pages of the journal contain recordings of the latitude and longitude of various places, presumably visited by William Carr while in the service of the Royal Navy.

Collection

Seth Eastman Watercolors, ca. 1846-1858

12 watercolors

The Seth Eastman watercolors consist of 12 sketches produced by U.S. Army officer Seth Eastman.

The Seth Eastman watercolors consist of 12 sketches produced by U.S. Army officer Seth Eastman. Most of these works were likely created by Eastman between approximately 1849 and 1858, including many that were executed in relation to his work as illustrator for Henry Rowe Schoolcraft’s six-volume ethnographic survey Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, published between 1851 and 1857. Individual items measure up to 18 by 25 cm.

The following list includes titles (supplied titles appearing in brackets), content descriptions, and citations for engraved versions that appear in Schoolcraft’s survey:

“Pawnees Torturing a Female Captive”
  • Watercolor scene showing a naked Native American girl being tortured in front of a large group of Skiri Pawnee men, women, and children. This depiction is thought to have been based on accounts cited by Schoolcraft of the last known instance of the Skiri Pawnee Morning Star sacrificial ritual, ca. 1837/1838.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 6, Plate 6 (across from pg. 78)

“Emigrants Attacked by the Comanches”; Capt. S. Eastman U.S. Army Del.
  • Watercolor scene showing several Comanche warriors on horseback attacking a wagon train circle defended by men with rifles.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 2, Plate 33 (across from pg. 132)

“Mission Chapel of San José. Near San Antonio, Texas"; Capt. S. Eastman U.S. Army Delt.
  • Watercolor scene showing several Native American warriors (likely meant to be Comanche) on horseback outside of San José Mission Church.
  • Based on 1849 sketch by Eastman held by the Peabody Museum, Harvard University.

“Oneida Lake from the Original Site of the Oneida Stone, Oneida County, N.Y.”; S. Eastman U.S. Army Delt.
  • Watercolor view showing a Native American man smoking a pipe seated on the Oneida Stone overlooking terrain with Oneida Lake in the distance.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 5, Plate 23 (after pg. 152)

“Esopus Landing, Hudson River”; S. Eastman U.S. Army Delt.
  • Sepia ink wash view showing two Native Americans on rocks in foreground looking out over the Hudson River.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 3, Plate 19 (after pg. 74)

“Humboldt, California.”; S. Eastman from a sketch by G. Gibb (sic, George Gibbs)
  • Sepia ink wash view of Humboldt, California, ca. 1851 showing several buildings viewed from across a harbor. Copied by Eastman from original drawing by George Gibbs.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 3, Plate 43 (across from pg. 130)

“Pittsburgh in 1790”; Drawn by Capt. S. Eastman U.S. Army from the original, taken from the south side of the Monongahela by Lewis Brantz Esq.
  • Ink wash view of structures at Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania, ca. 1790. Copied by Eastman in 1851 from original drawing by Lewis Brantz, then in the possession of Brantz Mayer.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 3, Plate 32 (across from pg. 336)

“Mexican Antiquities”; S. Eastman U.S. Army
  • Sepia ink wash depiction of seven indigenous Mexican cultural artifacts. Drawn after engravings based on drawings by Brantz Mayer.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 6, Plate 40 (after pg. 590)

“Mexican Antiquities”; Drawn from the originals by Capt. S. Eastman U.S. Army
  • Sepia ink wash depiction of ten indigenous Mexican cultural artifacts. Eastman drew these objects direct from observation of materials held in the collection of Brantz Mayer.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 6, Plate 39 (after pg. 590)

“Indian Signatures”; Copied from the original by S. Eastman U.S. Army
  • Pen and ink drawing showing written names and totems of sixteen Ojibwa individuals including “Kimi-Ki-Chawgan,” “Kitche-pus-quegegan,” “Siginac,” “Apeche-caw-boway or Grand Blanc,” “Maw-manche-Cawtence,” Skaw-O-mut or Black Chief,” “Mieray or Walk in the Waters,” “Ray-y-Aron,” “Ane-me-quinee,” “Puck-e-Nence,” “Que-baw-que-gun,” “Puck-qua-Cawboway,” “Seken-ge-win,” “Many-to-quajick or Little Cedar,” “So-wa-quet,” “Macconce or Little Bear.” These signatures were claimed by Schoolcraft to have been copied from an invoice of Indian goods disbursed by General William Hull at Fort Detroit in 1809.
  • Information respecting the history, condition and prospects of the Indian tribes of the United States, Vol. 2, Plate 56 (across from pg. 226)

[The American Surrender at Fort Shelby, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, July 20, 1814]
  • Watercolor view depicting American troops at Fort Shelby, Wisconsin, surrendering to the British on July 20th, 1814, during the War of 1812; likely executed by Eastman ca. 1846-1848.
  • Eastman was stationed at Fort Crawford (successor to Fort Shelby, which was destroyed by the British in May of 1815) after graduating from West Point in 1829 and possibly interacted with individuals who witnessed the surrender first-hand.

[Winter Scene at Fort Pembina, Later Part of North Dakota, ca. 1858]
  • Watercolor view of Fort Pembina, Dakota Territory, during winter showing buildings, tipis, and a dog sled.
  • Work is unsigned but bears clear similarities to other landscape scenes by Eastman.

Collection

Thomas Caldwell Moore sketchbook, 1865

1 volume

The Thomas Caldwell Moore sketchbook is made up of twenty-two images on nineteen loose, encapsulated pages as well as the original cover boards and binding. The back of the original front cover board of the sketchbook includes the penciled inscription: "Sketch Book, New York -1865, T.C. Moore of Allegheny Arsenal Pittsburg, Pa." Three pages have images on both sides. The creator of the sketchbook has been identified as Thomas Caldwell Moore (1825-1886). The sketchbook contains pencil and watercolor landscape views of rivers, shorelines and towns from ca. 1865. Locations represented include the Shenandoah Valley, the Allegheny River, and New York City. One sketch (image #2), titled "U.S Rifle Factory on the Shennandoah" is likely to be Harpers Ferry Armory.

The Thomas Caldwell Moore sketchbook, housed in a blue tray case with gilt lettering on the spine, is made up of twenty-two images on nineteen loose, encapsulated, pages as well as the original cover boards and binding. Three pages have drawings on both sides. The back of the original front cover board of the sketchbook includes the penciled inscription: "Sketch Book, New York -1865, T.C. Moore of Allegheny Arsenal Pittsburg, Pa." The creator of the sketchbook has been identified as Thomas Caldwell Moore (1825-1886). While only two of the drawings are individually dated (both 1865), given that the date on the inside of the front cover matches the two dated sketches it can be assumed that the sketchbook contains pencil and watercolor landscape views of rivers, shorelines and towns from ca. 1865. Nine of the images include titles, many of which are in ink written over pencil, indicating the location the sketch depicts. Locations represented include the Shenandoah Valley, the Allegheny River, and New York City. One sketch (image #2), titled "U.S Rifle Factory on the Shennandoah," is likely to be Harpers Ferry Armory.

Collection

Thomas Smith Collection, ca. 1820-1826

26 sketches, 3 letters

The Thomas Smith collection includes a disbound sketchbook of eighteen watercolors and six drawings depicting scenes in the northeastern United States and Canada made between 1820-1826 as well as three letters written by Smith between 1820-1822.

The Thomas Smith collection includes a disbound sketchbook of eighteen watercolors and six drawings depicting scenes in the northeastern United States and Canada made approximately between 1820-1826 as well as three letters written by Smith between 1820-1822.

The Visual Materials series contains eighteen watercolors and six drawings from a disbound sketchbook that depict scenes in the Eastern United States and Canada. While the watercolors and drawings themselves contain no exact information on their precise dates of creation, there is one unfinished pencil sketch of Fort Niagara that shows architectural features that were only in place from 1818 to 1823. Additionally, two pages contain watermarks in the paper that read "Turkey Mills J. Whatman 1818," while an inscription on the inside of the detached front cover also reads: "Thomas Smith. American Sketches 1820 to 1826." Smith is known to have made one trip to New York in the late spring and summer of 1820 and also returned from another trip there in the fall of 1821. Although presumably an amateur artist, Smith showed an uncanny eye for accurate detail, a keen ability to depict the scale of landscapes, and a vivid sense of color and light.

The following represents a complete list of illustrations present in the collection. Items lacking titles have been provided titles in brackets:
  • 1) [Unidentified building] (fragment on oval sheet; pen and ink)
  • 2) [Portrait of unidentified man] (fragment; pencil)
  • 3) Point - Entrance of Chaudiere (pen and ink)
  • 4) Palmetto trees East side Sullivan's Isld. South Carol,,a
  • 5) Wappoo, Cooper River, S. Carolina
  • 6) [Niagara Falls]
  • 7) River Delaware. Fort Gaines to the left, to the right Fort Mifflin
  • 8) [Presumed to be Delaware River]
  • 9) Unfinished
  • 10) [Niagara from the American side]
  • 11) [Estuary with a Rowing Boat]
  • 12) [The Mouth of the Niagara River at Fort George, Ontario] (pencil)
  • 13) [Quay on an Estuary]
  • 14) [Thousand Islands, Ganaoque (near Kingston), Ontario]
  • 15) Cohos Falls, Mohawk River
  • 16) [Niagara Gorge from Goat Island]
  • 17) [Hudson River landscape]
  • 18) Entrance of the Patapsco River into Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore Maryland
  • 19) New York Harbor
  • 20) [Queenston Heights - looking down the Niagara River towards Lake Ontario]
  • 21) [New York Harbor]
  • 22) [Town on an Estuary] (pencil)
  • 23) [Niagara Falls from below]
  • 24) [Landscape with a Waterfall] (pencil)

The Correspondence series contains three letters written by Thomas Smith to family members. The first letter, dated April 1820, is addressed to Smith's sister Eliza Elizabeth "Betsey" Smith (1802-1876) and bemoans her general lack of communication before discussing differences between American and English women, mentioning acquaintances including a "Mr. Lucas" and a "Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell", and describing events related to the wedding of a "considerable" rice planter and "Miss Lucas...now Mrs. Cordes" that took place in Charleston, South Carolina in March. This was likely the wedding of James Jameison Cordes (1798-1867) and Mary Lucas (1802-1873). Smith also makes reference to a bridesmaid named "Miss McLeod...a lady of large fortune worth as these things are estimated in S Carola: 300 negroes" while stating that "negro servants" accompanied the wedding party on horseback on their way to Middleburgh plantation. The second letter, also dated April 1820, is addressed to Smith's brother Joseph Smith VI (1800-1876) and contains a description of deer hunting conducted in the "American mode" in which several concealed hunting stands were occupied "100 to 150 yards apart" before "the negroes are sent with the hounds to drive the swamps or ponds where the deer generally conceal themselves." Smith elaborates on an unsuccessful hunting trip led by a planter named "Mr. Bryan" in which the party consisted of "Mr. Bryan, Mr. Lucas, Mr. Cordes, Mr. Hume & myself, with 2 negro slaves, all on horseback" during which Smith and Mr. Hume managed to become briefly lost in the woods. Also included are mentions of various wildlife encountered in the countryside, references to regional flora Smith intends to procure seeds of, and a description of typical South Carolinian cuisine had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner during different times of year. The third letter, dated February-March 1822 and partially written from aboard the steamship Robert Fulton while in the Gulf of Mexico, is addressed to Betsey (now "Mrs. Alfred H.") at "Messr: Jos. Hardcastle & Sons London." Betsey married Alfred Hardcastle (1791-1842) in 1821. This letter describes Smith's return to Charleston in Novemeber of 1821 following a trip to New York, spending the Christmas holiday period at Mr. Lucas's plantation, a four-day excursion in Havana, Cuba, made during the present voyage while en route from New Orleans to Charleston, and avoiding a close encounter with a "suspicious looking Schooner" off the Cape of Florida.