Map of part of the Murray-Hill Estate, Situated in the 12th Ward of the City of New York, to be sold by James Bleecker & Sons on Thursday 11th June 1835, at 12 o'clock, at the Merchant's Exchange

Art Historical Context

This 1835 lithograph captures a pivotal moment in New York City’s rapid expansion. Created by Prosper Desobry an auction notice for the-Hill Estate in the city’s 12th Ward, the was designed to promote the sale of land parcels on June 11 at the Merchant’s Exchange. At the time, Manhattan’s northern reaches were transitioning from rural estates to planned urban neighborhoods, and such printed maps served both practical and promotional purposes for developers and buyers alike. Desobry’s use of lithography—a relatively new printmaking technique—allowed for precise, reproducible detail that made complex property boundaries and street grids easy to read. The sheet’s generous size further emphasizes its role as a working document, likely posted or distributed to attract investors during a period of intense real-estate speculation. Today, the print offers modern viewers a vivid snapshot of early nineteenth-century urban planning. Part of the Metropolitan Museum’s Edward W. C. Arnold Collection, it illustrates how maps functioned as both informational tools and cultural artifacts that shaped the city’s growth.