Entrance of the Canal into the Hudson at Albany

Courtesy Winterthur Library

The scene depicts the packet boat  S.Van Rensselaer on the Erie canal, a freight canal boat, the warehouse of Ebenezer Wilson, the Hudson River in the middle distance and in the background to the right is the Van Rensselaer Manor House, home of canal advocate Stephen Van Rensselaer III and in the background to the left is the home Stephen Van Rensselaer IV. 

James Eights was born in Albany and probably studied medicine, natural history and other subjects under the guidance of his father .  In 1820 Eights began a long scientific career when he joined a geological survey of the Erie Canal region as an artist, lecturer and supplier.  It was from the drawings he made on this trip that the engravings were made by Rawden Clarke & Co., Albany.  Eights went on to be part of a number of important American expeditions and became a noted natural scientist . He retired to Albany where he made drawings based on his early memories of the City.

The scene is a detail from the "GEOLOGICAL PROFILE EXTENDING FROM THE Atlantic to Lake Erie engraved by Rawden, Clark & Co. Albany " first printed in 1824 in  A geological and agricultural survey of the district adjoining the Erie canal in the state of New York... and re-printed on thin tissue-like paper  in 1825 in Memoir, prepared at the request of a committee of the Common council of the city of New York...

It is likely that the 1825 version was provided to a pottery engraver as it was easily detached from the book.

More details on the source print

Potter: Andrew Stevenson, Enoch Wood & Sons

Pattern & Print Source Comparison

View pattern details » Entrance of the Canal into the Hudson at Albany - A. Stevenson Andrew Stevenson

View pattern details » Entrance of the Erie Canal into the Hudson at Albany - Wood Enoch Wood & Sons

View pattern details » Entrance of the Canal into the Hudson at Albany Maker Unknown