United States Patent-Office Department, Washington, D.C.

Art Historical Context

Step into 1867 with evocative print of the United States Patent Office Department in Washington, D.C., by an unidentified artist. Titled *United States Patent-Office, Washington, D.C this work offers a glimpse of the grand neoclassical facade of one of America's most innovative institutions during the Reconstruction era. As a print—a reproductive medium popular in the 19th century for disseminating images of architecture and landmarks—it allowed widespread appreciation of federal buildings amid post-Civil War nation-building. The Patent Office, established in 1800, symbolized American ingenui...