Arch St. Theatre, Arch at 6th St., Philadelphia

c. 1859

Frederick DeBourg Richards

Associated Names
Frederick DeBourg Richards

Artist, American, 1822 - 1903

This is a photograph of a neoclassical building with columns and a pediment. The building features a façade with columns supporting a triangular pediment, adorned with a sculptural relief depicting a classical figure with a shield and a chariot. Below the pediment are rectangular windows, and beneath them is a balcony with a balustrade railing. A lamp post can be seen near the entrance, with steps leading up to several doorways. Signs indicate it is likely a public venue, possibly a theater, given the poster advertising performances. The photograph is in sepia tone, giving it a historic quality.

Media Options

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Artwork overview


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

(Richard Rosenthal, Philadelphia, PA); Charles Isaacs and Carol Nigro Collection, New York, 2000; gift to NGA, 2018.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2019

  • The Eye of the Sun: Nineteenth-Century Photographs from the National Gallery of Art, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 2019, unnumbered catalogue.

Inscriptions

on verso, by unknown hand, on lower left, in blue graphite: Arch St. Theatre / 6th + Arch Sts

Wikidata ID

Q64147714

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