This impressive 24×32 hand-colored etching, The New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge, depicts the newly completed Brooklyn Bridge during the early 1880s—one of the most transformative engineering achievements of the 19th century. The scene vibrates with life: elevated pedestrian walkways, horse-drawn trolleys, carriages, street vendors, and dense industrial architecture under a smoke-filled skyline. Rich hand-coloring enhances the plate’s fine engraved detail, offering a vivid historical portrait of the bridge and the rapidly expanding city surrounding it.
This etching presents a dynamic, documentary-style panorama of the Brooklyn Bridge, originally known as the New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge. The work likely dates from the early years after the bridge’s opening in 1883, when it attracted crowds of spectators and symbolized New York’s modern identity.
Multiple Transportation Levels
The central roadway captures early multi-use bridge traffic: horse-drawn omnibuses, private carriages, wagons, and pedestrian travelers.
Architectural Detail
The iconic Gothic-style stone towers rise dramatically, connected by hundreds of engraved suspension cables—rendered with the precision typical of 19th-century architectural engravings.
Urban Life & Motion
Crowds move across the bridge deck, rendered in finely engraved cross-hatching and hand-applied color. The surrounding cityscape—with smokestacks, factories, and brick tenements—reflects a rapidly industrializing New York.
Hand Coloring
The vibrant watercolor application highlights clothing, vehicles, rooftops, and atmospheric elements, bringing depth and immediacy to the bustling industrial city.
The Brooklyn Bridge was a symbol of American ingenuity and urban ambition. Prints such as this were widely circulated to commemorate the bridge’s opening and celebrate New York’s status as a modern metropolis. Today, these images serve as both historical documents and desirable collectible artworks.
The New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge, large 24×32 hand-colored etching, c.1880s. Finely detailed panoramic city scene with vivid period coloring; excellent condition.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
Title: The New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge
Date: c. 1880s
Medium: Hand-Colored Etching / Engraving
Dimensions: 24 × 32 inches
Signature: Unsigned (typical for period engravings)
Description: A richly hand-tinted architectural and historical etching depicting the early Brooklyn Bridge, including horse-drawn traffic, pedestrians, and industrial Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.
Authenticity: Verified via plate characteristics, line engraving technique, period paper, and historical publishing style of 19th-century illustrated urban prints.
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
This document certifies the work as an authentic 19th-century hand-colored etching.
19th-Century Publisher, United States
Private Collection, New England
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC — current owner
This impressive 24×32 hand-colored etching, The New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge, depicts the newly completed Brooklyn Bridge during the early 1880s—one of the most transformative engineering achievements of the 19th century. The scene vibrates with life: elevated pedestrian walkways, horse-drawn trolleys, carriages, street vendors, and dense industrial architecture under a smoke-filled skyline. Rich hand-coloring enhances the plate’s fine engraved detail, offering a vivid historical portrait of the bridge and the rapidly expanding city surrounding it.
This etching presents a dynamic, documentary-style panorama of the Brooklyn Bridge, originally known as the New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge. The work likely dates from the early years after the bridge’s opening in 1883, when it attracted crowds of spectators and symbolized New York’s modern identity.
Multiple Transportation Levels
The central roadway captures early multi-use bridge traffic: horse-drawn omnibuses, private carriages, wagons, and pedestrian travelers.
Architectural Detail
The iconic Gothic-style stone towers rise dramatically, connected by hundreds of engraved suspension cables—rendered with the precision typical of 19th-century architectural engravings.
Urban Life & Motion
Crowds move across the bridge deck, rendered in finely engraved cross-hatching and hand-applied color. The surrounding cityscape—with smokestacks, factories, and brick tenements—reflects a rapidly industrializing New York.
Hand Coloring
The vibrant watercolor application highlights clothing, vehicles, rooftops, and atmospheric elements, bringing depth and immediacy to the bustling industrial city.
The Brooklyn Bridge was a symbol of American ingenuity and urban ambition. Prints such as this were widely circulated to commemorate the bridge’s opening and celebrate New York’s status as a modern metropolis. Today, these images serve as both historical documents and desirable collectible artworks.
The New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge, large 24×32 hand-colored etching, c.1880s. Finely detailed panoramic city scene with vivid period coloring; excellent condition.
CERTIFICATE OF VALUE & AUTHENTICATION
Title: The New York and Brooklyn Suspension-Bridge
Date: c. 1880s
Medium: Hand-Colored Etching / Engraving
Dimensions: 24 × 32 inches
Signature: Unsigned (typical for period engravings)
Description: A richly hand-tinted architectural and historical etching depicting the early Brooklyn Bridge, including horse-drawn traffic, pedestrians, and industrial Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.
Authenticity: Verified via plate characteristics, line engraving technique, period paper, and historical publishing style of 19th-century illustrated urban prints.
Current Owner: Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC
This document certifies the work as an authentic 19th-century hand-colored etching.
19th-Century Publisher, United States
Private Collection, New England
Artfind Gallery, Washington, DC — current owner
