View of the Delaware near Philadelphia

Thomas Birch

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a riverside scene with calm blue waters in the background on the right. Sailing ships dot the horizon. Closer to us is the riverbank, lined with greenery and tall trees, along with a dirt path on the left and rowboats laying on the sandy shore. In the center, a group of men, women, and children appear to dance together by the bank. They all have pale skin and wear clothes in shades of yellow, white, brown, and purple, with some pops of blue, green, and red. Their clothes include dresses, shawls, jackets, trousers, and hats. Behind them on the right, two more men stand near one of the rowboats. The sky above is blue, with large, puffy, gray-and-white clouds.