Nathaniel Currier
Seige of Vera Cruz, March, 1847

Public Domain

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Images(2)

Artist Nathaniel Currier (American, 1813–1888)American, 1813–1888

Artistafter John Cameron(born c. 1828)born c. 1828

CultureAmerican

Titles

Seige of Vera Cruz, March, 1847

Date1847

PlaceNew York, United States

MediumLithograph with hand coloring

DimensionsImage: 8 × 12 3/4 in. (20.3 × 32.4 cm)
Sheet: 10 x 14 1/8 in. (25.4 x 35.8 cm)
Frame: 12 1/2 × 16 1/2 × 3/4 in. (31.8 × 41.9 × 1.9 cm)

Credit LineThe Bayou Bend Collection, gift of Miss Ima Hogg

Object numberB.69.283

Not on view

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Department

Bayou Bend

Object Type

PRINTS

Description

In March of 1847, American ships bombarded fortifications of the Mexican port city of Vera Cruz in advance of a large-scale amphibious assault and a siege of the city. General Winfield Scott commanded the operation for the United States.

Lithographer Nathaniel Currier learned the printing trade as an apprentice at the Boston firm of William and John Pendleton, the first successful lithography firm in the United States. Currier moved to New York City with John Pendleton in the early 1830s and soon established his own firm there. Currier found success producing images of current events and making them available quickly and inexpensively. James Merritt Ives joined the firm in 1852 and became a partner in 1857.

Provenance[Kennedy Galleries, New York]; purchased by Miss Ima Hogg, 1958; given to MFAH, 1969.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Inscribed: Seige of Vera Cruz March 1847/ By the U.S. Army and Navy / U.S. ARMY UNDER GENL. SCOTT 12,100. U.S. NAVY UNDER COM. PERRY. U.S. LOSS 15 KILLED AND 50 WOUNDED. THE BOMBARDMENT COMMENCED ON THE 22ND OF MARCH AT 4 1/4 O'CLOCK P.M. AND WAS INCESSANT DAY AND NIGHT UNTIL THE MORNING OF THE 26TH, AT WHICH TIME OVERTURES WERE MADE BY THE ENEMY FOR A CAPITULATION OF THE CITY AND ALSO OF THE CASTLE OF SAN JUAN DE ULLOA (THE GIBRALTAR OF AMERICA). ON THE 27TH THE GARRISONS OF BOTH CITY AND CASTLE SURRENDERED AS PRISONERS OF WAR TO THE VICTORIOUS ARMS OF THE UNITED STATES [Gale 1984, no. 5858]

Printed lower left below the image: LITH. & PUB. BY N. CURRIER
Printed lower right below the image: 152 NASSAU ST. COR OF SPRUCE N.Y.

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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