View of the Gas Works from Lower Island on the Grand

Tucked away behind a scene with fenced trees and a horse drawn carriage, this work represents one of the few times Alten painted the modernization of the Michigan landscape. The Grand Rapids Gas Light Company, iconic for its tall smokestacks and large round buildings, was incorporated in 1857 and allowed many local businesses to be lit by gas. Alten’s choice to use dark, almost gloomy colors in the painting aptly reflect his feelings towards the nationwide move towards industrialization.