The Corner of F Street

This watercolor painting by Anne-Marguerite-Henriette Rouillé de Marigny Hyde de Neuville, baronne (more commonly known as Anne-Marguerite Hyde de Neuville) shows a view of the corner of F Street and 15th Street in Washington, D.C. At the time, Hyde de Neuville lived at this intersection and painted the scene from her own window. The building on the right is Bank Metropol and the building on the left is the U.S. Treasury building, which was badly damaged during the War of 1812, rebuilt by architect James Hoban, and eventually destroyed by fire in 1833. Hyde de Neuville, who was born in France, lived in the United States for several years and was married to Jean-Guillaume, Baron Hyde de Neuville, the French minister. The artist resided at Decatur House on Lafayette Square (1821-1822) and her watercolors provide glimpses into the life of the new capital in the Federalist era in the early 1800s.