Doughty, Thomas “The Battlefield of Brandywine"

Thomas Doughty.  “The Battlefield of Brandywine.” 

Philadelphia: Graham’s Magazine, ca. 1840.  4 1/2 x 6 1/8.  Engraving by James Smillie. Hand color.  Very good condition.  A/A

An interesting perspective of the Brandywine battlefield.  The beautiful and historic valley in Delaware County was noted for its rustic beauty and was a favorite spot for excursions and picnics.  This delightful engraving illustrates the pleasant image that the Brandywine valley.   Many of the popular magazines of the mid-nineteenth century were copiously illustrated with steel engraved views and genre scenes.  These very popular engravings were produced by some of the most well known American artists of the day, and they include some unusual and fascinating images illustrating the mores and scenery of ante-bellum America.  This print was issued in Graham’s Magazine, one of the best known illustrated magazines of the day, published during the 1840s and early 1850s in Philadelphia by George R. Graham.  It is typical of the output of this publication, and the fine engraving and interesting image make it a wonderful artifact from our country more than a century and a half ago.