Philadelphia
1838
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1838
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Philadelphia is a 1838 watercolor by Thomas Allom, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
You see a watercolor of Philadelphia’s skyline from across the Delaware River—tiny boats, church spires, and wooden docks under a hazy sky. Allom painted this in 1838, just before the city’s first major fire. The soft washes of color make the scene feel quiet, almost like early morning. He didn’t live there; he sketched it on a quick trip through America. If you like this, look up the Victoria and Albert Museum—they have more of his travel watercolors.
