May 1, 2018 – October 19, 2018

Through watercolors, enamels, manuscripts, books, and prints, some of which have never before been exhibited, we will explore the life and work of one of the most important artists of the Federal period, William Birch (1755-1834).

Birch established himself in London as a miniaturist and a graphic artist before immigrating to Philadelphia, where he published the first two American books of engraved views. The City of Philadelphia in the Year 1800 captures the spirit of the cultural and political capital of the new nation and remains a cornerstone of Philadelphia iconography. His second book, The Country Seats of the United States (1808), brought to America the ideal of the country house in a picturesque landscape, a vision that persists to this day.

Curated by James Green and Sarah Weatherwax.