CONTENT WARNING
Materials in the Library of Virginia’s collections contain historical terms, phrases, and images that are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical and mental ability; and gender and sexual orientation.
Context
Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764–1820) was born in England, where he worked for an engineer and an architect before immigrating to the United States. He became one of the young nation's most significant architects and designed the U.S. Capitol. While living in Virginia, Latrobe wrote and illustrated a two-volume “Essay on Landscape” (1798–1799) to teach the art of watercolor to Susan Catherine Spotswood (1774–1853), a descendant of former royal governor Alexander Spotswood. Latrobe's work documents the culture and landscape of Virginia at the turn of the 19th century. His journals indicate that he shared the conflicted feelings about slavery shared by many upper-class white Americans at that time. He found the institution of slavery distasteful and perhaps morally repugnant, but he also believed in the inferiority of people of African descent.
In this watercolor painting, Latrobe depicts three Black men, who were likely enslaved, directing a bateau through the rapids of the James River at Richmond. These long flat-bottomed boats were used to carry goods such as tobacco and coal along rivers and canals as late as the 20th century. Between the 1770s and the 1840s, hundreds of men operated such boats along the James River. In the journal entry that accompanied this illustration, Latrobe noted that it was inaccurate. The boat he painted was "too short: they are from 60 to 75 feet long, & from 5 to 6 feet broad.” He went on to describe that each bateau (sometimes spelled batteau) was "managed by 3 Men," one to steer while the other two poled, and "who with great dexterity often carry them 30 miles against the stream in one day."
Citation: Steering a Bateau, Watercolor, 1798. Benjamin Henry Latrobe, An Essay on Landscape, 1798–1799, Accession 25060, Personal Papers Collection, Library of VirginiaStandards
Art:4.1, 5.1
Earth Science: ES.1, ES.10
Suggested Questions
Preview Activities
Look at It: Look at the watercolor. What is depicted in the illustration? Why might the artist have chosen to create this image?
Post Activities
STEM Stat: The process of carrying watercraft or cargo over land, around an obstacle in a river, or between two bodies of water is called portage. The bateau was a vessel designed for use in shallow water or where there are rapids in a river. What are the advantages of this design? What are the disadvantages? Consider the topography of the James River near Richmond, its proximity to the fall line, and the challenges of moving cargo on such a vessel.
Artistic Expression: Create a watercolor or sketch of the James River. You may choose to set your artwork in the past, present, or future.
Analysis: Why was the James River important during the time in which this watercolor was created?