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Historical Materials

Historical Materials  »  Lithography  »  Pendleton's, Lith. – Boston

Pendleton's, Lith. – Boston

View related Fitz Henry Lane catalog entries (12) »

Pendleton's was the first lithography shop in Boston and created some of the finest prints from the time period. The firm was founded by brothers, William S. and John Pendleton, in 1826 at Harvard Place. Prior to this firm, William Pendleton had founded the Senefelder Lithographic Company in 1825 with Abel Bowen. (The 1831 Gloucester map was printed by the Senefelder Lithographic Company, and perhaps provided an introduction for Lane to Pendleton.) In 1828, John left Boston to pursue various opportunities in Philadelphia and New York. In the absence of his brother, William built Pendleton's into a well-regarded lithographic shop until 1835 when he sold the shop to his bookkeeper, Thomas Moore. At Pendleton's, many prominent artists were taught, including John H. Bufford, Robert Cooke, Nathaniel Currier, and Lane. The artists at Pendleton's were responsible for producing a variety of materials including maps, plans, portraits, fashion plates, topographical views, music covers, advertisements, and historical prints.

Much of this information has been summarized from Boston Lithography 1825–1880 by Sally Pierce and Catharina Slautterback.

Related tables: Champney, Benjamin »  //  Clegg and Dodge – Gloucester, Mass. »  //  Scott, John W. A. »

map
1831 Mason Map
John Mason
1831
Lithograph
28.5 x 21 in.
Cape Ann Museum Library & Archive

When Massachusetts decreed that each town be mapped, John Mason drew the map of Cape Ann in 1830. This drawing was sent to the Senefelder Lithographic Company of Boston (owned by William Pendleton) to be printed, and then sold in Gloucester by W.E.P. Rogers, whose Gloucester Telegraph of February 12, 1831 announced, "A few specimen copies of the map, uncolored, have reached the town" and that they cost $1.25. Perhaps this business arrangement between Pendleton and Rogers provided Lane with his introduction to Pendleton.

publication
1865 Gloucester Telegraph
1865
Newspaper

"Mr. Lane in his early youth exhibited uncommon proofs of capacity by drawings of wonderful vigor and truthfulness so that they attracted the notice of some of the best judges, among others of Mr. Pendleton, the pioneer of lithography. who took a genuine interest in the young artist and invited him to Boston where greater opportunity could be afforded him for study and improvement. This great promise of early life was fully redeemed in riper years when, self-taught, he mastered the difficulties of the art and took place in front rank of the marine painters of this country. An afflicting malady which crippled him for life prevented him taking extensive journeys for picturesque material but whenever it wass possible for him to reach striking and characteristic views of our coast he visited them and the number of fine works distributed throughout the country show with what judgement he selected his subjects and how happily he rendered them."

artwork
A Brief Ejectment: Xenophon's Retreat out of the Enemy's Country
David Claypoole Johnston
c.1827
Lithograph
7 1/2 x 9 in.
Courtesy American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Mass.

One of the Pendleton brothers kicking Russell Jarvis out the door of the printing establishment.

artwork
Lithography W. & J. Pendleton, No. 1 Graphic Court, Washington Street
J. Cheney
between 1827 and 1830
Lithograph
3 7/8 x 2 3/4 in., on sheet 5 1/8 x 3 7/8 in.
Courtesy American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Mass.

Subject: Advertising card for the Boston lithography firm. A woman sits at a desk, writing on a writing slope. Copied from a vignette signed R. Lane on the title page of C.J. Hullmandel's Art of Drawing on Stone, 1824.

artwork
Old State House in Flames
Robert Salmon
The Bostonian Society (1883.0107)
lithograph
1832
"Salmon pinxt" at lower left; "Pendleton, Boston" at lower right

Also filed under: Salmon, Robert »   //  State House »

publication
Sixty Years' Memories of Art and Artists
Benjamin Champney
c.1899
Woburn, MA,

"After a time I left the shoe store, and through the influence of my friend Cooke, was admitted as an apprentice to Moore, successor to Pendleton, in the lithographic business. Here I was speedily worked in as a draughtsman for ordinary commercial work, the fine work, such as designs of figures and heads from life being done by Cooke. F.H. Lane, afterwards well-known as a marine painter, did most of the views, hotels, etc. He was very accurate in his drawing, understood perspective and naval architecture perfectly, as well as the handling of vessels, and was a good, all-round draughtsman." (1)

(1) John WilmerdingFitz Henry Lane (Gloucester, MACape Ann Historical Association2005)Reprint of Fitz Hugh Lane, by John Wilmerding. New York: Praeger, 1971.

artwork
Soft Glides the Sea, Bounding and Free
Pendleton's Lithography
1831
Lithographic sheet music
11 x 7 1/4 in.
Boston Athenaeum
artwork
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society membership certificate
c.1829
Lithograph
Printed by Pendleton's
18 3/8 x 15 5/8 in.
Boston Athenaeum

Also filed under: Horticultural Hall »

artwork
View of Lowell, Mass.
Elliza Ann Farrar
1834
Lithograph
Printed by Pendleton's
14 1/8 x 23 5/8 in.
Boston Athenaeum

Also filed under: Lowell, Mass. »

Citation: "Historical Materials." Fitz Henry Lane Online. Cape Ann Museum. http://fitzhenrylaneonline.org/historical_material/index.php?section=Pendleton%27s%2C+Lith.+%E2%80%93+Boston (accessed December 2, 2024).
Please note that the information on this and all pages is periodically reviewed and subject to change.
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