Collection of John Bachmann Prints
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
This collection consists of 23 bird's-eye view lithographic prints created by Swiss-born American artist John Bachmann (1814-1896). The prints date from 1849 to circa 1885.
Biographical/Historical Note
John Bachmann (1814–1896) was a German-speaking Swiss printmaker and artist best known for his bird's-eye views, especially of New York City. Bachmann was a journeyman lithographer in Switzerland and Paris until 1847. His first known American print appeared in 1849; it is a view from an imagined point above Union Square in New York, looking south toward the Battery. This print is credited to "C. Bachman" as artist and "J. Bachmann" as publisher; his name appears on subsequent prints as both Bachman and Bachmann.
In 1850-1851, he published a series of bird's-eye views of American cities, including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Washington, D.C. Bachmann married in about 1852, and had four children, the eldest of whom became a lithographer. Around 1860, the family moved to Hoboken NJ, and in 1864 settled in Jersey City Heights, NJ. Bachmann continued producing prints, the majority of which were views of New York and Central Park, until about 1885. Bachmann's prints were among the first major bird's eye views, as opposed to panoramic views, in the United States. Although they appear to be captured from above, bird's eye views were actually mathematically compiled on a grid using hundreds of sketches done on the ground. Bachmann's skillful use of the bird's-eye view helped popularize it as a way of portraying modern urban geography, and launched a new genre of American printmaking.
Sources: Case, Nat. "John Bachmann and the American Bird's Eye View Print", Imprint, Vol. 33, Number II, Autumn 2008, pp.19-35.
Reps, John W. Views and Viewmakers of Urban America. (Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 1984.)
Arrangement Note
The prints are arranged in two series. Thereunder they are filed chronologically.
Series I. Views of New York City
Series II. Views of Other Cities
Scope and Contents Note
This collection consists of 23 bird's-eye view lithographic prints created by artist John Bachmann (1814-1896). The prints date from 1849 to circa 1885. Eighteen of the prints are views of New York City; the remaining five are of other cities, including Boston, Hoboken, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC.
Subjects
Access Restrictions
Available by advance appointment only. To schedule an appointment, contact the Print Room Librarian at printroom@nyhistory.org. Photocopying undertaken by staff only. Limited to twenty exposures of stable, unbound material per day. (Researchers may not accrue unused copy amounts from previous days.)
Use Restrictions
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to:
Department of Rights and Reproductions The New-York Historical Society 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194 rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org 212-485-9228
Permission to reproduce or quote text from this collection in a publication must be requested from and granted in writing by the Library Director, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194.
Preferred Citation Note
This collection should be cited as Collection of John Bachmann Prints, PR 353, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition Note
This collection has been compiled from a variety of gifts and purchases. View of Central Park, New York City (circa 1875) was purchased January 2018. The other prints were previously part of the Geographic File PR 20.
About this Guide
Processing Information Note
Twenty-two of the twenty-three prints in this collection were removed from PR 20 Geographic File in Jan-Feb 2018. View of Central Park, New York City (circa 1875) was purchased January 2018.
Repository
Series I: Views of New York, 1849-circa 1885
Scope and Contents Note
This series consists of 18 bird's-eye view lithographs of New York City, arranged chronologically.
New-York, 1849
Scope and Contents Note
View south from Union Square. J. Bachmann, artist. Sarony & Major, lithographers. Published by John Bachmann, 5 Rector Street, New York.
New York City Hall, Park and Environs, circa 1850
Scope and Contents Note
Copy 1. Bachmann, artist and lithographer. Published by Williams and Stevens, 353 Broadway, New York.
New York City Hall, Park and Environs, circa 1850
Scope and Contents Note
Copy 2. Bachmann, artist and lithographer. Published by Williams and Stevens, 353 Broadway, New York.
Birds Eye View of New York and Brooklyn, 1850
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist and printer. Published by John Bachmann, 218 William Street, NY.
Birds Eye View of the New York Crystal Palace and Environs, 1853
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. Published by John Bachmann, 37 City Hall Place, NY.
Brooklyn. Bird's Eye View of the City of New York. Williamsburg., 1859
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. Published by C. Magnus & Co.
New-York and Environs, 1861
Scope and Contents Note
Round shape, fisheye view. J. Bachmann, artist. Published by J. Bachmann, 115 Nassau Street, New York.
Central Park, 1863
Scope and Contents Note
Bird's eye view with a series of smaller vignettes around the border. John Bachmann, artist. Printed by F. Heppenheimer. Published by John Bachmann, 76 Nassau Street, New York.
Birds Eye View of the Central Park, New-York, 1865
Scope and Contents Note
Copy 1. J. Bachmann, artist. J. Bien, lithographer. Published by Bachmann.
Birds Eye View of the Central Park, New York, 1865
Scope and Contents Note
Copy 2. J. Bachmann, artist. J. Bien, lithographer. Published by Bachmann.
Central Park [Summer], 1865
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. J. Bien, lithographer. Published by Edmund Foerster & Co.
Central Park [Winter], [1865]
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. J. Bien, lithographer. Published by Edward Fuerster.
Birds Eye View of New York and Environs, 1865
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. J. Bien, printer. Published by John Bachmann, 76 Nassau Street, New York.
View of Central Park, New York, [1875]
Scope and Contents Note
View looking southeast. John Bachmann, artist. H. Bencke, lithographer.
View of New York, 1877
Scope and Contents Note
View of Manhattan from the southeast, with Statue of Liberty visible in NY harbor. J. Bachmann, artist. H. Bencke, lithographer.
View of New York and Vicinity, 1879
Scope and Contents Note
View north from New York harbor. John Bachmann, artist. H. Bencke, lithographer.
Bird's Eye View Of Coney Island. Bird's Eye View of Rockaway., [circa 1881]
Scope and Contents Note
Two views on one sheet. Copyright by John Bachmann, 80 Bower Street Jersey City Heights
View of New York, [circa 1885]
Scope and Contents Note
View from the southwest, showing Manhattan and Brooklyn. J. Bachmann, artist. Snyder and Black, printers. Published by J. Bachmann, 80 Bower Street, Jersey City Heights.
Series II: Views of Other Cities, 1850-1874
Scope and Contents Note
This series consists of 5 bird's-eye view lithographs of American cities outside of New York, arranged chronologically.
Bird's Eye View of Boston, 1850
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. Sarony & Major, lithographer. Williams and Stevens, publisher.
Birds Eye View of Philadelphia, 1850
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. Sarony & Major, lithographers. Williams and Stevens, publisher.
Bird's Eye View of New Orleans, 1851
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist and printer. A. Guerber & Co., publisher.
Birds-Eye View of Washington, D.C. and Environs, 1865
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. Printed and published by Kimmel & Forster, 254-256 Canal Street, New York
Hoboken, 1874
Scope and Contents Note
J. Bachmann, artist. Published by F. Luthin, 197 Washington Street Hoboken, New Jersey