View of New York (from the Atlantic Neptune)

Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres British, born Switzerland

1777

Not on view

A view of Manhattan before 1773. The southern tip of the island, seen from the water, is based on a drawing made by Des Barres sometime between his arrival in New York in 1763, when he was appointed engineer in charge of the preparation for the Atlantic Neptune, and 1773 when the Governor's House (Mansion House) seen in the Fort was destroyed. The height of the bluff on which Trinity Church stands has been exaggerated since Broadway at that point actually stands 35 feet above high water. Other buildings that can be indentified include the Free English School across Rector Street, the Lutheran Church on Broadway, the Middle Dutch Church, the tower and cupola of the French Church of St. Esprit in King Street, the cupola and flag of City Hall and the spire of the South Dutch Church. The Atlantic Neptune was a maritime atlas published between 1777 and 1781 by Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres.

Artwork Details

Title: View of New York (from the Atlantic Neptune)
Artist: Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres (British, born Basel, Switzerland 1722–1824 Nova Scotia)
Date: 1777
Medium: Aquatint; proof before letters
Dimensions: Image: 8 1/4 x 15 7/8 in. (20.9 x 40.4 cm)
Plate: 9 1/2 x 16 13/16 in. (24.1 x 42.7 cm)
Sheet: 12 13/16 x 19 5/8 in. (32.5 x 49.9 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1938
Object Number: 38.165.55
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

A View of New York, from the Atlantic Neptune

Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres

1777

A Chart of New York Harbour, from "The Atlantic Neptune"

Multiple artists/makers

May 19, 1779

Five Views of the Entrance to New York Harbor: [1] View of the Highland of Neversunk, N.W. b[y] W. four miles distant, with the Light House, on Sandy Hook, N.W. [2] The South Shore of Long Island, ten leagues Eastward of Sandy Hook, four miles distant. [3] New York with the Entrance of the North and East Rivers. [4] The Light House on Sandy Hook, S.E. on mile. [5] The Narrows (between Red and Yellow Hook, on Long Island, & the East Bluff of Staten Island bearing S. b[y] W.

Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres

October 4, 1777

Scrapbook of Drawings and Prints, Gideon Saint British, Pen and ink, engraving and etching — Scrapbook of Drawings and Prints
Gideon Saint
ca. 1760

Imaginary View of Venice, houses at left with figures on terraces, a domed church at center in the background, boats and boat-sheds below, and a seated man observing from a wall at right in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal), Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal) Italian, Etching; undivided plate, only state — Imaginary View of Venice, houses at left with figures on terraces, a domed church at center in the background, boats and boat-sheds below, and a seated man observing from a wall at right in the foreground, from "Views" (Vedute altre prese da i luoghi altre ideate da Antonio Canal)
Canaletto (Giovanni Antonio Canal)
Joseph Smith
1741

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.