biography of John BACHMAN (act.c.1850-1877)

Profession: Landscape draftsman and lithographer, publisher

Comments: Bachmann was active from 1850 to 1877. He executed a view of NYC in 1850, and was in New Orleans in 1851, drawing a birds-eye view of the city; he was working in NYC in 1851-52, 1855, in Brooklyn in 1858, and Hoboken (NJ) in 1859. He executed a lithograph showing the seat of war in Virginia in 1861 and a view of NYC in 1877. He also did views of Boston (MA) and Superior (WI). Although little is known about Bachman's life, his views of cities are considered as among the finest of the mid to late 19th century. Among the firms he produced views for are Sarony & Major and Peter S. Duval (see entries).

Sources: G&W; Portfolio, I (June 1942), 1 and 20; ibid., VII (March 1948), 156-57, view of NYC with airplane; NYCD 1851-52; Stokes, Historical Prints, pl. 80, pl. 95-b, p1. P 1859 G57, pl. 100-f; Peters, America on Stone, 82-84. More recently, see Reps, 160-161, color pl. 2, cat. no. 1366 and many more catalogue entries; Reps suggests that Bachman(n) may have come over from Germany; Encyclopaedia of New Orleans Artists, 21.