A gouache is an opaque watercolor consisting of pigment, water and a binding agent.

The little gouache, circa 1800, shows Philadelphia from what was once a small fishing village. Today, it is known as Kensington.

The painting, which measures 4 ½” X 4 ½”, is inscribed in German in the lower plane:

Ansicht des großen Baumes wo Penn den Frieden mit den Indianern schloß

(View of the Great Tree where Penn made peace with the Native Americans)

The artist is unknown but it is highly likely that the artist was one of the many German descent Americans who came to this country as early as the 17th Century.

The gouache was purchased for the museum from an auction house in Berlin, German.  Once again, the story captured on paper and mounted on cardboard, is a universal symbol of peace and friendship.