“City of St. Louis. Bird’s-eye view of St. Louis, Missouri, as seen from above the Mississippi River” is an artwork created by Currier and Ives in 1874. As an exemplar of Romanticism within the genre of veduta, the artwork offers a detailed and expansive aerial perspective of St. Louis, Missouri, as observed from the vantage point above the Mississippi River.
The artwork meticulously captures the bustling milieu of 19th-century St. Louis. It presents a panoramic vista with an impressive level of detail, illustrating the urban sprawl composed of densely packed buildings and streets meticulously arranged in a grid pattern. The Mississippi River, depicted at the forefront, is crowded with steamships and boats, underscoring the significant maritime activity that the city sustained. The horizon stretches infinitely, creating a sense of depth and vastness, common in Romantic art, while the intricate detailing and depiction of the city’s architecture and prominent structures reflect the precision associated with the veduta genre. This portrayal not only celebrates the city’s industrial and commercial vigor but also provides a vivid historical snapshot of its urban landscape during the late 19th century.
