William Birch's Philadelphia Page 6 of 6 illiam Russell Birch, a
distinguished English artist known especially for his enamels of
brilliant color and his miniature landscape engravings, was
living at the time at his country house "Springland" north of
the city. A first edition copy of his famous views of
Philadelphia, uniquely documenting an early American city, was
then on display in the office of subscriber Thomas Jefferson, as
it would be throughout his presidency. Although Birch found it
easy to come by wealthy patrons, it was his interest to display
not only the architecture of the young city but also the life of
its inhabitants, whatever their occupations and status. There
were always people in his scenes--often throngs of people. Their
presence was not considered an obstruction to the view. The City
of Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania as it Appeared in
1800 depicts not only the grand churches of the city but also a
blacksmith's shop being pulled to a new station in life as the
first incarnatio