Fourth of July in Centre Square

Fourth of July in Centre Square

John Lewis Krimmel emigrated from his native Germany to Philadelphia in 1810. At first he supported himself by painting portraits and teaching drawing but soon began to paint images of Philadelphia life; he may, in fact, be the earliest American artist to specialize in genre scenes. Krimmel was actively involved with the then-new Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts until his death by drowning in the Schuylkill River. "Fourth of July in Centre Square" depicts a broad range of the city's population, including fashionable ladies and gentlemen, plainly dressed Quakers, and African-American citizens. Latrobe's Philadelphia Water Works, shown at left, was considered a marvel of engineering as well as an icon of neo-classical design for the growing city. The clean water provided by its steam-driven pumping station also made possible America's first public fountain, the centerpiece of which was "Water Nymph and Bittern," an allegory of the Schuylkill River carved by William Rush.

Krimmel, John L. (American painter of German birth, 1786-1821)

Pennsylvania Academy purchase (from the estate of Paul Beck, Jr.)

by 1812

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oil on canvas

22 3/4 x 29 in. (57.785 x 73.66 cm.)

CP2014-062

American

Repository: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts

Accession number: 1845.3.1