AN ICONIC COLLEGE VIEW: "FRANKLIN AND MARSHALL COLLEGE" RUMMELL, RICHARD (1848-1924) A world class education where the advancement of the undergraduates is the exclusive focus.

Franklin and Marshall College

Richard Rummell

Restrike engraving from the original plate (c.1913)

Printed on heavy woven paper and hand colored

Plate Size: 17 x 29 ¼ 

Price: $600.00

    At the turn of the century, the accomplished landscape artist Richard Rummell (1848-1924) painted a panoramic bird’s-eye view watercolor of Franklin and Marshall College. In this selection of paintings of American colleges and universities, Rummell selected the twenty best colleges in the nation at the time of painting. His inclusion of these universities in his oeuvre indicates his immense respect for these institutions. From this watercolor, a copper-plate was engraved and a limited number of pulls (engravings) were distributed. Today, Arader Galleries owns the collection of copper plates used for engraving and watercolors. Using the original process and 100 year old original plates, Arader is proudly re-striking and making the beautiful college view available for acquisition the same way it was 100 years ago.

    Franklin and Marshall began as two separate institutions, Franklin College and Marshall College. The former was founded in 1787 due to the generous contributions of Benjamin Franklin, the namesake of the school. Franklin College taught classes in both English and German, making it the first bilingual college in the nation. Initially the first co-educational university in the nation, the school abandoned this policy early into its history, reinstating it 182 years later in 1969. Its counterpart, Marshall College was named for Chief Justice John Marshall. The college was founded in 1836 in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania due to support from the German Reformed Church. The two schools merged in 1853 and established a combined location in Lancaster, PA. 

    College Ave crosses the foreground of the view, with some horse-drawn carriages riding across the road. To the center of the view, Old Main can be seen with its towers forming a distinctive silhouette against the rolling plains of Lancaster. It was dedicated in 1856 and originally housed classrooms, but now is home to the nondenominational Nevin Chapel. Flanking Old Main are the identical Goethan Hall to the left, and Diagonthan Hall to the tight. Further to the right, Distler House is pictured. Originally the first gymnasium at the college, the house was built in 1891 and featured a bowling alley. Now, it is home to the campus bookstore and café. To the foreground of the view in front of Distler House, Stagger Hall is depicted. This building housed cutting-edge science laboratories in the 1890s, although it currently is home to many liberal arts departments. Its pale roof and location near College Avenue distinguish it from the various halls in the background of the view. 

To order a college view, please email loricohen@aradergalleries.com or call 215-796-0358 (mobile) or 215-735-8811 (landline).