In this environment, Currier and Ives established themselves as “purveyors of cheap and popular prints.” While they shared the newspapers’ interest in covering current events, producing prints (often the same day) of happenings such as the sinking of ships or great fires, they were uncannily connected with their audience. Over the seventy year history of the company they produced more than 7,000 unique prints, and sales numbered in the millions.
Given their immense popularity, the prints seem to offer more than a visual records of people, places, and events. Instead, they provide a window into the minds of those who purchased them and hung them on the walls of their homes and businesses. In understanding the messages contained in the images, we can better understand the Americans who bought them and their cultural constructions.
