The South Street Seaport Museum’s paintings collection includes a vast variety of works, many by renowned American marine painters of the 19th and 20th century, including Thomas Birch, James Buttersworth, Antonio Jacobsen, and Edward Moran. The paintings depict seascapes, harbor views, ships, and merchant portraits. The collection focuses on 19th and 20th century oil paintings that illustrate the importance of international commerce in New York Harbor during the “Golden Age of Sail.”
Highlights include portraits of Peter and Simon Schermerhorn, builders of Schermerhorn Row, and a 9-foot long birds-eye view of New Amsterdam as it appeared in 1660. This painting was made in the mid-20th century but it is based on a 17th century map made by the Surveyor General of the early Dutch colony, Jacques Cortelyou.
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