Artwork

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

Point Breeze, the Estate of Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte at Bordentown, New Jersey is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist Charles B. Lawrence. It dates from 1818 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Charles B.

About this work

Overview

Charles B. Lawrence’s 1818 oil painting records the estate known as Point Breeze, the residence of Joseph Napoleon Bonaparte in Bordentown, New Jersey. The canvas presents a tranquil river scene framed by trees, a bridge, and a distant white house perched on a hill, under a pink‑tinged sky.

Subject & Meaning

The work captures the landscape surrounding the former French king’s American retreat, highlighting the peaceful domestic setting that contrasted with his exile from Europe. A solitary figure accompanied by dogs walks along the riverbank, suggesting a leisurely, genteel lifestyle on the estate.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil, Lawrence employs a soft palette of greens and warm pinks to convey atmospheric depth. The composition balances foreground detail—the bridge and foliage—with a receding horizon, a hallmark of early Hudson River School sensibilities that emphasize the expansive, harmonious American countryside.

History & Provenance

Born near Bordentown around 1790, Lawrence was active as a portraitist and landscape painter in the early nineteenth century, later working in Philadelphia. The painting entered the Art Institute of Chicago’s collection, where it remains part of the museum’s American art holdings.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Charles B. Lawrence

Charles B. Lawrence (c. 1790, Bordentown, New Jersey – 1864, Philadelphia (?)) (Charles Bird Lawrence) was an American painter; primarily of portraits and landscapes. He also produced copies of popular paintings by other artists.

Museum

Art Institute of Chicago

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