Bowen, J.T. (Girard College Views of Philadelphia. Philadelphia, 1840-48.$375.00

“Girard College”

This series of 19^thcentury prints concentrated upon recently constructed impressive Philadelphia buildings. It was so popular that it was published in four different editions. After the original issue, J.C. Wild decided to leave town and sold his share to his partner, J.B. Chevalier, who reissued the set as sole publisher also in 1838. That same year, J.T. Bowen, who had just moved to Philadelphia to complete the work on the McKenney & Hall Indian portfolio, acquired the rights to the set and issued an edition with himself as publisher. Within a decade, Bowen had reissued the set, though now removing Wild's name as both artist and lithographer. This lithograph is from Bowen’s edition.

The school was founded and perpetually endowed in 1831 by the estate of Stephen Girard. Girard conducted an architectural competition for the design of Girard College’s Founders Hall. The winner was Thomas Ustick Walter whose next commission was the US Capitol in Washington.  

8 ½ x 10 ½ inches, sheet.
Hand colored lithograph.
Excellent condition.