Bay and Harbor of New York from Bedlow's Island 1850 - 1860

Edmund C. Coates made this oil on canvas painting, "Bay and Harbor of New York from Bedlow's Island," during an unknown year. Oil paint is a fascinating medium. Here, Coates used it to capture the scene's atmospheric effects: the hazy sky, the reflections on the water, and the distant cityscape. But oil paint is also a material deeply connected to trade, commerce, and labor. The pigments used to create the colors were sourced from all over the world, ground by hand, and mixed with linseed oil. The canvas itself was woven from flax, a crop that required extensive cultivation. Consider the ships in the harbor. They represent not just transportation, but also the movement of goods and people, the engine of capitalism. The American flag flying over Bedlow's Island reminds us of the political and economic power at play. Coates' painting isn't just a pretty picture. It's a record of a specific time and place, a snapshot of a society built on trade, industry, and the labor of many.