Saint Louis in 1846
- Artist
- Henry Lewis, American (born England), 1819–1904
- Date
- 1846
- Material
- Oil on canvas
- Classification
- Paintings
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 336
- Dimensions
- 32 1/4 × 42 1/4 in. (81.9 × 107.3 cm)
framed: 41 3/4 × 51 3/4 × 3 1/4 in. (106 × 131.4 × 8.3 cm) - Credit Line
- Eliza McMillan Trust
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 170:1955
NOTES
Steamboats crowd a riverfront lined with warehouses that extend into the distance, evidence of the bustling economy in St. Louis during the 19th century. Across the river, a wagon train has set up camp. “Bound for Oregon” is written on one of the wagons.
Henry Lewis came to St. Louis in 1836 to create scenery for the St. Louis Theatre. During his stay, he made several trips to document scenes along the Mississippi River. In 1846, Lewis likely sent this painting to New York City for exhibition. He wrote, “This view is taken from the Illinois shore, and you may rely on it being a correct one of our City as I took great pains in making the sketches and also took advantage of the Daguerreotype [an early form of photography]. . . although this city now contains a population of near forty thousand souls still the opposite shore remains in all its natural wildness.”
Henry Lewis came to St. Louis in 1836 to create scenery for the St. Louis Theatre. During his stay, he made several trips to document scenes along the Mississippi River. In 1846, Lewis likely sent this painting to New York City for exhibition. He wrote, “This view is taken from the Illinois shore, and you may rely on it being a correct one of our City as I took great pains in making the sketches and also took advantage of the Daguerreotype [an early form of photography]. . . although this city now contains a population of near forty thousand souls still the opposite shore remains in all its natural wildness.”