1860 Ord Lithograph of 'President' Steam Locomotive

Max Rosenthal (November 22, 1833 - August 8, 1918) was a lithographer and engraver active in Philadelphia during the mid to late 19th century. Born in Turck, Russian Poland, Rosenthal was one of five brothers (Louis, Solomon, Morris, and Simon). He and all his brothers left Poland at the behest of their father to avoid being drafted into the army. Louis and Simon were sent to London to apprentice with a lithographer, Max went to Paris to study with artist and lithographer Martin Thurwanger at the age of thirteen, and Morris went to Rabbinical School in Berlin, Germany. Thurwanger (Max's teacher) had a contract with the Smithsonian Institution in the late 1840s went to the United States and Max went with him. By 1849 Max had arrived in Philadelphia and worked under contract for Dubal and Company. He also studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Around 1851 after completing his work at the Academy, Max partnered with his brother Louis to set up a lithography firm in Philadelphia known either as L.N. Rosenthal or simply Rosenthals. It appears Max became the firm's primary artist, with Louis running the establishment and acting as publisher. The firm published sheet music covers, portraits, maps, labels, advertisements, building views, and anatomical and geological charts. Max created a series of camp and battle scenes during the American Civil War while traveling with the Grand Army of the Potomac from 1861 to 1863 that Rosenthals published. Rosenthals relocated twice throughout the 1850s and 1860s and was located at 327 Walnut Street when the firm burned and suffered severe water damage. After the fire, the firm closed and Louis moved to Chicago, where he worked as a lithographer and printer, but Max stayed in Philadelphia. Max continued working as an artist and lithographer, along with his son Albert (1863 - 1939) in Philadelphia until the 1910s. Max was an instructor for the Art Students Union later in life and experimented with mezzotint engraving. He also produced oil and watercolor paintings. Max married Caroline during the 1850s and with whom he had at least seven children. More by this mapmaker...

Louis N. Rosenthal (c. 1824 - after 1900) was a lithographer active in Philadelphia and Chicago during the mid to late 19th century. Born in Turck, Russian Poland, Rosenthal was one of five brothers (Max, Solomon, Morris, and Simon). He and all his brothers left Poland at the behest of their father to avoid being drafted into the army. Louis and Simon were sent to London to apprentice with a lithographer, Max went to Paris to study with artist and lithographer Martin Thurwanger, and Morris went to Rabbinical School in Berlin, Germany. Louis arrived in New York on September 29, 1848, after his apprenticeship in London ended. He was an established member of the lithographic trade in Philadelphia by the following year and was part of a brief partnership with Peter Kramer in 1850. Thurwanger (Max's teacher) had a contract with the Smithsonian Institution in the late 1840s went to the United States and Max went with him. Max and Louis set up a lithography firm in Philadelphia in 1851 known either as L.N. Rosenthal or simply Rosenthals. It appears Max became the firm's primary artist, with Louis running the establishment and acting as publisher. The firm published sheet music covers, portraits, maps, labels, advertisements, building views, anatomical and geological charts, and Civil War scenes. Rosenthals relocated twice throughout the 1850s and 1860s and was located at 327 Walnut Street when the firm burned and suffered severe water damage. After the fire, the firm closed and Louis moved to Chicago, where he worked as a lithographer and printer until his death sometime after 1900. By 1850, Louis was married to Louisa, with whom he had eight children. Learn More...