View No. 2: Ladies of the Harbor

Watercolor on Linen / 14“ X 20”

Sailing only a few miles on the first day, Hudson stopped where Giovanni da Verrazzano, the first European visitor, reached in 1524. They were approached again by Indians wanting to sell oysters and beans. Here on Liberty Island, the most famous of the major landmarks of New York Harbor, the giant 305-foot-tall statue of the Roman goddess of Liberty would be built. A gift from the French people, America’s first major ally, it was dedicated in 1886 to commemorate the centennial of the American Revolution.  

In this painting are also two common icons, including a Staten Island Ferry and a New York tugboat. With nonstop service since 1905, the ferries provide access to Manhattan every day for 2.2 million passengers each year. The tugboat has been a staple feature of the harbor since the early 1800s.