1909 New York City in 1909 – Photographed from a Balloon
DESCRIPTION
By: Butler Brothers
Date: 1909 (dated) New York
Dimensions: 21 x 33 inches (53 x 84 cm)
This striking bird’s-eye view of New York City titled offers a dramatic and realistic rendering of Manhattan as seen from above the Hudson River. Original photographed by the Butler Brothers from a gas balloon in 1909, the image used in this piece is a meticulously drawn lithograph based on their aerial observation, blending cartographic precision with artistic imagination.
The scene presents the dense urban fabric of the city in the early 20th century, with Lower Manhattan’s emerging skyline dominating the right side of the image, marked by early skyscrapers clustered around the Financial District. The city's waterfront is alive with a flurry of maritime activity, with steamships, tugboats, ferries, and sailing vessels populating the busy harbor. The iconic Statue of Liberty stands guard in the lower right corner, while Battery Park stretches inland, providing a leafy contrast to the surrounding architecture. Major features like the Woolworth Building, visible in the background, serve as additional markers of the city’s architectural ambitions. The bridges that span the East River, including the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges that connect the city to Brooklyn, whose orderly grid expands eastward across the horizon.
The piece was published to commemorate the tri-centennial of Henry Hudson’s 1609 voyage up the river that now bears his name. A lengthy historical account beneath the image narrates Hudson’s journey aboard the Half Moon, his search for a northwest passage to India, and the eventual establishment of New Amsterdam, a prelude to the metropolis shown above.
Condition: Dramatic aerial view of Manhattan in 1909, showing early skyscrapers, bustling harbors, and bridges, created to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Hudson’s voyage.
Inventory #12969
CONDITION
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