Eventide -- October: The Village Inn

Serene views of country life, exemplified by "Eventide -- October: The Village Inn," rank among the most popular lithographs by Currier & Ives. As American cities became increasingly crowded, more people wanted pictures of idyllic rural scenes as nostalgic alternatives to urban chaos. This print depicts ordinary daily activities occuring at twilight as a crescent moon rises: a man on horseback herds five cows across a stream towards a barn on the opposite bank, while another man in an oxen-drawn cart approaches an inn in the background. At the entry of the inn, a man on horseback converses with a man standing in the doorway.The inn's welcoming orange-glowing windows complement the sunset hues of the sky.


Nathaniel Currier, whose successful New York-based lithography firm began in 1835, produced thousands of hand-colored prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life and its history. People eagerly acquired such affordable lithographs featuring picturesque scenery, rural and city views, ships, railroads, portraits, hunting and fishing scenes, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. As the firm expanded, Nathaniel included his younger brother Charles in the business. In 1857, James Merritt Ives (the firm's accountant since 1852 and Charles's brother-in-law) was made a business partner; subsequently renamed Currier & Ives, the firm continued until 1907.