Boston Harbor

Charles Manger, Boston Harbor, ca. 1860-1869, oil on canvas, 24 ¹⁄₈ x 40 ¹⁄₈ in. (61.2 x 102.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. George Viault, 1970.183

Free to use

Artwork Details

Title: Boston Harbor
Artist: Charles Manger
Date: ca. 1860-1869
Location: Smithsonian American Art Museum
/
Luce Foundation Center
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3rd Floor
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9B
Dimensions: 24 ¹⁄₈ x 40 ¹⁄₈ in. (61.2 x 102.0 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. George Viault
Mediums: oil
Mediums Description: oil on canvas
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Travel — water — ship
Waterscape — harbor — Boston Harbor
Landscape — Massachusetts — Boston
Object Number: 1970.183
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1970.183

Artwork Description

In this painting of Boston Harbor in the 1860s, a ship carrying a passenger sits in the center, while an assortment of seafaring vessels dots the hazy horizon. In the foreground, birds fly low among waves that reflect the colors of the sky. Manger’s use of glowing light and smooth brushstrokes was a popular approach among American landscape painters at the time. This work was completed around the time of the American Civil War when Boston Harbor served as a training camp and coastal defense for the Union army.