The artwork entitled “The levee, New Orleans,” crafted by the esteemed artists Currier and Ives in the year 1884, belongs to the Romanticism movement and is classified under the cityscape genre.
The artwork portrays a bustling scene of New Orleans’ levee, filled with numerous steamships docked along the river. Billowing smoke from the ships’ chimneys rises into a clear sky, indicating the height of industrial activity. The levee, covered with an array of goods such as cotton bales and timber, reveals the lively commerce characteristic of the period. People are depicted busily engaged in various activities, from loading and unloading goods to conversing and organizing bundles. The vibrant and detailed imagery captures the essence of a dynamic port, reflecting the vitality and economic prosperity of New Orleans in the late 19th century. The overall composition communicates a sense of energy and industriousness, synonymous with the Romanticism art movement’s fascination with the sublime and the ever-evolving urban landscapes of the era.
