Hudson River Landing [recto] 1796

Alexander Robertson made this drawing of the Hudson River landing sometime around the turn of the nineteenth century, using graphite on paper. Robertson, who was born in Scotland but emigrated to the United States as a young man, was a founder of the Columbian Academy of Painting in New York. This educational institution hoped to foster an American artistic tradition but it struggled to compete with more established European academies. It is important to note that the artist has dated the drawing 22 September 1776, the year of American independence, perhaps commenting on the burgeoning national identity of the United States. In the image, the Hudson River landing is presented as a site of commerce and connection, with boats of different sizes suggesting a range of activities. To better understand this image, we might investigate the history of the Columbian Academy, or the social and economic development of the Hudson River Valley in the early national period, drawing upon archival resources. The meaning of art is always contingent on the social conditions of its making.