New York: The Island at the center of the World

Explore the dynamic evolution of New York City through this curated collection of historic maps and panoramic views. The assemblage spans from Pierre Charles Canot’s 1768 mezzotints after Thomas Howdell capturing south-east and south-west perspectives of the colonial city, to Bernard Ratzer’s monumental 1776 “Plan of the City of New York” — one of the most important colonial maps of the city noted for its rococo design and intricate detail. These early prints highlight landmarks such as King’s College (later Columbia University), Trinity Church and the bustling waterfront, providing a glimpse into Manhattan’s topography before landfill projects extended its shoreline.

The 19th century is represented by John Bachmann’s vibrant 1851 bird’s-eye lithograph of New-York & Brooklyn, which teems with commercial vessels and meticulously renders Castle Garden and lower Manhattan’s architecture, and by Currier & Ives’ 1884 view of The City of New York featuring the newly opened Brooklyn Bridge. Nicolino Calyo’s gouache scene portrays New York City as it appeared on the eve of the Great Fire of 1835, conveying the drama of the conflagration and preserving a vanished waterfront. Together these works trace the transformation of New York from a colonial seaport into a burgeoning metropolis and document key historical events and cultural shifts that shaped the island at the center of the world.

View the full catalog on Issuu: https://issuu.com/aradernyc/docs/new_york_october_2025_arader_galleries?fr=sZTZlNTg2NjkyNzY