Illustrations

Antonio Petruccelli Special Print

The original 1938 artwork for this print was acquired at an Illustration House’s auction in New York and is being made available here under a special arrangement. Antonio Petruccelli (1907-1994) made a name in the graphic arts with his covers for Fortune magazine and the New Yorker in the 1930s and 40s. The gouache here was reproduced over a full page in the December 1938 issue of Fortune, and also as a Christmas card sent to subscribers. The prints we make are stunningly gorgeous and show exquisite detail. We’re certain they’ll be a joy to give, and an ever greater joy to get.

I will Paint the Town Red: 1885

This cartoon shows "Democracy" portrayed as the devil holding a bucket labeled "Bourbon Principles." A profile caricature of Grover Cleveland appears in the paint brush. The Devil overlooks Washington, D.C., proclaiming he will "paint the town red." Illustrated by Grant E. Hamilton in 1885.

Verdun, road to Y.M.C.A. canteen

This poster shows a canteen entrance with soldiers below an arch amongst a street strewn with rubble. Published in 1917. "Verdun, road to Y.M.C.A. canteen. A.K.S. Sketched on spot by Y.M.C.A. secy. Coquemer imp. Paris."

The Fast Mail, c. 1875

This illustration shows a woman and two boys looking on as a steam locomotive passes by delivering and receiving mail. From the Library of Congress collection, c. 1875.

Belgium World's Fair Air Station: 1894

This poster shows an air station suspended below a captive balloon at the 1894 world's fair in Antwerp, Belgium. The poster advertises Alfred Tobiansky d'Altoff's patented device for moving passengers from a platform on the ground to the air station. "Chateau aérien. Ballon captif à cloisons étanches, système Tobiansky. Exposition universelle 1894."

Fate of the Rebel Flag

This patriotic print by William Bauly was issued by New York art publisher William Schaus in September 1861. "Fate of the Rebel Flag" has a militantly Unionist theme. In a spectacular nocturnal scene, a large warship sinks and burns on a calm sea littered with debris. The flames take on the configuration of the red, white, and blue flag of the Confederacy, the blue field with seven stars being formed by the night sky showing through the flames. Lightning strikes the flag from the upper left.

Our Heaven Born Banner: 1861

"A pro-Union patriotic print based on Frederic Edwin Church's oil painting 'Our Banner in the Sky,' which in turn was inspired by the highly publicized Confederate insult to the flag at Fort Sumter in April 1861 and by a sermon by Henry Ward Beecher published shortly thereafter. The print shows a lone Zouave sentry watching from a promontory as the dawn breaks, his rifle and bayonet forming the staff of an American flag formed by the sky's light. In the distance is a fort, probably Sumter." Lithograph by Sarony, Major & Knapp, 1861.

Architectural Drawing: The Concourse

An aerial perspective rendering for an early draft of The Concourse, on Beach Road in Singapore. Graphite and color pencil on sepia print, created between 1979 and 1981 by architect Paul Rudolph. From the Library of Congress Paul Rudolph Archive.

Advertisement for Allen & Ginter Virginia Brights Cigarettes

An advertising poster for Allen & Ginter, manufacturers of cigarettes: "Allen & Ginter, Richmond, Virginia. 50 fish from American waters. You will catch one in each package of Virginia Brights. Richmond Straight Cut No.1 Cigarettes." Created before 1900.

Journée Serbe, 25 juin 1916

French artist Pierre Mourgue captures the journey of Serbian military and civilians crossing the River Drina into Albania, now part of Yugoslavia. Lithograph, 1916.

Rayon d'Or Advertisement

This French advertisement shows a nude woman with gossamer wings reaching toward the light of a star and a Rayon d'Or light fixture: "Rayon d'or, dernier mot de l'eclairage." The poster was illustrated by Jean de Paleologue in 1895.

The Reapers

"The Reapers" from the Library of Congress collection. Hand printing on the image reads, "Printed at 8, Clare St. Bristol by Frost & Reed, Printsellers, of Bristol & London. 3rd. September 1917. Copyright."

A glimpse of New York's dry goods district

An illustration of a busy scene on Broadway in New York City, captioned: "A glimpse of New York's dry goods district. The largest in the world. Covering a space of 135 acres. Containing 4,500 firms. Employing $800,000,000 capital." Copyright by J.J. Fogerty, New York City, New York, c. 1886. The scene shows horse-drawn wagons, street railroads, and buildings displaying advertisements for businesses and goods.

Buy the Tuberculosis Stamp, c. 1917

A nurse stands, watching children playing outdoors: "Achetez le timbre antituberculeux." Translated as, "Buy the tuberculosis stamp." Illustrated in Paris, France, c. 1917.

The First Thanksgiving

Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrate the first Thanksgiving in 1621. This is a reproduction of an oil painting from the series "The Pageant of a Nation." The painting is by artist Jean Leon Gerome Ferris and was published by The Foundation Press, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio, c. 1932.

Autumn moon over Ishiyama

This Japanese woodblock print was produced between 1804 and 1818. It shows a temple on a mountain near the coastline of Ishiyama in the Ōmi Province of Japan. Along the shore can be seen buildings, including a shrine, and travelers coming ashore from boats. All of this takes place under an autumn moon.

Emprunt National 1920

A little French girl wears a torn dress with red, blue and white stripes -- the colors of France -- and a symbol of the French Revolution, a Phrygian cap. The text translates to: "National Loan 1920. Subscribe. Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas." Illustrated by H. Chachoin, c. 1920.

Bird's Eye View of New York City: 1879

A bird's eye view map of New York City from the harbor, showing Manhattan Island and other points of interest, as well as the location of Rogers, Peet & Co.'s building, "the exact center of the clothing trade in New York City." The lithograph by Currier & Ives was published by Rogers, Peet & Co. in 1879. The image is extremely high resolution, as seen in the Brooklyn Bridge detail, and makes a beautiful reproduction.

Paris Day: 1915

A 1915 French WWI poster soliciting for a Paris Day war charities fund raiser: "Paris Day. July 14, 1915. On behalf of the Hôtel de Ville's [Paris city hall] war charities. For the soldiers . . ." The illustration is signed G. Picard.

Art Nouveau Chap Book

This nicely illustrated cover for a 1895 chap book was done in Art Nouveau style and illustrated by Will Bradley. The pamplet cover reads simply: "The Chap Book. Thanks Giving No." Chap books, or chapbooks, were a generic term for pocket-sized booklets produced in the later part of the 19th century covering a wide variety of topics, from religion to nursery rhymes.

Girl With Blonde Hair

This illustration by artist Wladyslaw Theodore Benda shows a young girl with long blonde hair. The image was done in watercolor, charcoal and colored pencil in 1923. Polish-born Benda lived from 1873 to 1948 and worked primarily as a graphic artist with his illustrations appearing in advertising, books and magazines.

Jesus Christus

This illustration of Jesus Christ was published by the Chicago printing firm Kurz & Allison, c. 1880. In this image the illustrator has created an illusion of Jesus' eyes being both opened and closed. Kurz & Allison published and marketed commemorative posters of historical scenes in the late 1800s.

Earth, the Milky Way and the Moon

This illustration by artist Wladyslaw Theodore Benda shows a window opening to a view of the Earth, the Milky Way and the Moon. The image was done in charcoal and originally appeared in the March, 1918, edition of Cosmopolitan along with an article titled "The Future of the Earth," by Maurice Maeterlinck. Polish-born Benda lived from 1873 to 1948 and worked primarily as a graphic artist with his illustrations appearing in advertising, books and magazines.

The Great Conemaugh-Valley Disaster

This illustration portrays "The great Conemaugh-Valley Disaster -- Flood & Fire at Johnstown, PA" and was published by the Chicago printing firm Kurz & Allison, c. 1892. The illustration portrays the Johnstown Flood disaster that occurred on May 31, 1889 in which more than 2,200 people were killed following the failure of the South Fork Dam. During the late 1900s Kurz & Allison published and marketed commemorative posters of historical scenes.

Young Woman in Medieval Costume

First published in Player's Club Programme in 1926, this illustration by artist Wladyslaw Theodore Benda shows a young woman in a Medieval headpiece. The image was done in charcoal and watercolor. Polish-born Benda lived from 1873 to 1948 and worked as a graphic artist with his illustrations appearing in advertising, books and magazines.

The Weaker Sex

This illustration by Charles Dana Gibson was simply titled, "The Weaker Sex." The pen and ink illustration was first published in Collier's weekly on July 4, 1903. Gibson is most famous for his creationg of the iconic Gibson Girls and his work appeared in a number of New York City publications at the turn of the century.

The Grand Lay-Out Circus Poster

A circus poster titled "The Grand Lay-Out" produced by Gibson & Co. of Cincinnati, OH., c. 1874. In the illustration the circus parades around tents and next to a train where a crowd has gathered to watch the procession.

The Water Babies: No, She Cannot Be Dirty

This illustration is from The Water Babies, a children's novel written by the Reverend Charles Kingsley and published as a book in 1863. Before that the story was serialized in Macmillan's magazine in 1862 and 1863. The book was extremely popular and remained a mainstay of children's literature through the 1920s. This image was illustrated by Jessie Wilcox Smith in charcoal, watercolor and oil and titled "No, she cannot be dirty." Published in 1916.

The Water Babies: Tom Sat Upon the Buoy Long Days

The Water Babies: He Felt the Net Very Heavy

The Water Babies: The last of the gairfowl

This image was illustrated by Jessie Wilcox Smith in charcoal, watercolor and oil and titled "And there he saw the last of the gairfowl." The illustration is from The Water Babies, published in 1916, a children's novel written by the Reverend Charles Kingsley and published as a book in 1863. Before that the story was serialized in Macmillan's magazine in 1862 and 1863. The book was extremely popular and remained a mainstay of children's literature through the 1920s.

Geo. Winter Brewing Co. Bock Beer

This poster for Geo. Winter Brewing Co. Bock Beer shows Columbia raising a glass of beer while a billy goat looks on. The billy goat is the symbol of bock beer. The brewery was located at 55th St. between 2nd & 3rd Avenues in New York City. Circa 1900.

Philadelphia Railroad Terminal

This lithograph from Century Lithography Company shows "America's Grandest Railway Terminal," the passenger station for the Pennsylvania Railroad at Broad Street in Philadelphia. Circa 1893.

Free Harbor Jubilee

This poster from the Los Angeles Lithographic Company reads: "Free Harbor Jubilee. Los Angeles and San Pedro. April 26 and 27, 1899." The poster shows a woman blowing a horn and an aerial view of the port of Los Angeles and railroad lines connect Los Angeles and the bay.