1810-1820

River with Stone Bridge, New Jersey Estate near Bordentown

American, 1790 - 1864

This picturesque landscape by Charles Lawrence documents the grounds of Point Breeze, Joseph Bonaparte’s estate in Bordentown, New Jersey. Formerly the king of Spain (ruled 1808–13), Joseph fled to the United States in 1816, when his younger brother Napoleon fell from power in Europe. During his American residence, which lasted until 1832, he patronized local artists such as Lawrence, who painted views of his property like the one seen here. A Bordentown native, Lawrence was active in Philadelphia and exhibited landscapes, portraits, and copy work at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts between 1811 and 1832.