Birch immigrated to Philadelphia at the age of fifteen. He became known for marine and battle paintings and created views of many harbors along the eastern seaboard. Here, several New York landmarks are visible in the background, including Castle Williams, a circular fort on Governor's Island, and the distant steeple of Trinity Church. A light-filled depiction of a peaceful harbor, this painting demonstrates the artist's skill at capturing the movement of the water and the filling of the sails with wind.

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