The artwork titled “The great Bartholdi statue, liberty enlightening the world” by Currier and Ives dates to 1885. It is part of the Romanticism art movement and falls within the cityscape genre. The artwork, a gift from France to the American people, immortalizes the famed Statue of Liberty and is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork illustrates the monumental Statue of Liberty positioned on Bedloe’s Island (now Liberty Island) in New York Harbor. It is presented as an awe-inspiring symbol of freedom, towering gloriously with its torch raised high against a backdrop of serene skies. The statue itself is rendered in copper tones, standing on a grand pedestal and surrounded by a bustling harbor filled with vessels of various sizes, indicating the lively activity and maritime importance of the area. The detailed depictions of ships, accompanied by the cityscape in the background, further enhance the significance of the statue as a beacon for incoming vessels and a symbol of hope and liberty.