Point Breeze, the Estate of Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte at Bordentown, New Jersey 1817 - 1820

Charles B. Lawrence painted this landscape scene in oil on canvas, sometime in the early 19th century. Lawrence uses traditional art materials to create the illusion of space and depth, but it is the composition of this landscape that holds deeper social significance. The ordered arrangement of the scene reflects an aristocratic sensibility, portraying the cultivated estate of Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte, a place of privilege and leisure. The painting, on the one hand, highlights the beauty of the natural landscape, but on the other, implies a system of labor and ownership. The careful placement of the bridge, the winding road, and the figures engaged in leisurely activities, all serve to convey a sense of control over the environment. When we consider the history of landscape painting, and its ties to land ownership and social class, it’s clear that even a seemingly straightforward image can be deeply embedded in broader issues of labor, politics, and consumption.