[Pennsylvania Hospital] — Montgomery & Winters | The first state of this early view of the nation's first chartered hospital, likely a unique impression

Montgomery & Winters

A South-East Prospect of the Pennsylvania Hospital, with the Elevation of the Intended Plan. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by Robert Kennedy, 1761

Hand-colored engraving (274 x 367 mm). First state, before the addition of the numbers, signed in the plate "Montgomery & Winters Del." and "J Steeper & H Dawkins sculp.t"; lightly toned, marginal repairs, with one closed crack barely passing the neatline at the left, and one touching the engraved text at lower right corner, expertly rebacked. Framed.

The first state of this early view of Pennsylvania Hospital, apparently a unique impression.

"This Building by the Bounty of the Government, And of many private Persons, Was Piously founded, for the Relief of the Sick and Miserable."

This engraved view shows Pennsylvania Hospital, located at 8th and Pine Streets in Philadelphia, as seen from the southeast. It treated men and woman for both physical and mental illnesses. Of particular note is the garden in the foreground, where invalids are seen taking air and exercise, assisted by groups of well-heeled and charitable Philadelphians.

The view was made to stimulate public interest in the Pennsylvania Hospital, and it was sold to raise funds for the institution's continued growth. Co-founded by Dr. Thomas Bond, a Philadelphia physician who first conceived of the institution, and Benjamin Franklin, who helped secure the necessary funding, it was the nation's first chartered hospital. The Pennsylvania Assembly pledged £2,000 for the institution but required that the founders raise a matching amount from private individuals (see lot 60 for a collection of Pennsylvania Hospital Promissory Notes, printed by Franklin). The goal was easily met, and the hospital was chartered in 1751.

After a short period in a temporary building, the east wing opened its doors in 1756. Although the full building, as designed by Samuel Rhoads, is depicted here, the central and western wings were not completed until after the Revolution (west wing, 1795-96; central pavilion, 1796-99). As such, the hospital required additional funding to complete the building, which is what this engraving would likely have funded. The charitable nature of the print is made doubly clear by the roundel at the bottom of the image. It includes an illustration of, and a bible passage from, the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:35) — "take care of him & I will repay thee."

Pennsylvania Hospital's Pine Building still stands today. It recently opened as a museum in May 2026, the year the hospital celebrated its 275th anniversary.

This print was last sold in 1973 at Sotheby's, and evidently no copy of any state of the print has appeared at auction since then, per Rare Book Hub. We are only able to locate a single institutional example, held at the Library Company of Philadelphia.

REFERENCES

Snyder, City of Philadelphia, 24 (this copy); Roger W. Moss, "Rhoads, Samuel," from Philadelphia Architects and Buildings, a project of the Athenaeum of Philadelphia (https://archive.carpentershall.org/items/show/25803); Julie Wood, "The History of Pennsylvania Hospital's Pine Building," Penn Medicine, May 7, 2026 (https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/the-history-of-pennsylvania-hospital-pine-building?path=News&path=the-history-of-pennsylvania-hospital-pine-building)

PROVENANCE

Martin Snyder