Skip to main content

Old Waterworks, Fairmount

1913
Colin Campbell Cooper (American, 1856–1937)
Philadelphia-native Colin Campbell Cooper relocated to New York City in 1904, lured by the dynamic growth and skyscraping architecture of the new metropolis. Cooper's Old Waterworks, Fairmount is a rare, if not unique, treatment of Philadelphia from his later career and illustrates the artist's enduring interest in historic as well as modern architecture. Completed in 1822 along the bank of the Schuylkill River, the Fairmount Water Works remains an icon of historic Philadelphia. The Water Works was decommissioned in 1911, just two years before Cooper's depiction, endowing the painting with a sense of nostalgia for a bygone era of American architecture and history.

Object Details

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.