Henry Lewis 1863 - A Street In St. Louis https://www.slam.org/collection/objects/35640/ The picture itself shows the streets of St. Louis and the difference between then and now. Back then it was not as many building. More trees and only one house. You see the horse and carriage out in front of the building which now you see all of the skyscrapers and cars on the street. You see the art and the parks covering the areas of the city. The painting's context is showing what the city looked back then. It wanted to show what city life was and how people lived during that time period. Some of the things that might have influenced this artists work might be the beauty of the city before it was covered in buildings. Before it turned more into a major city where people would go to visit and tour and more of a family town where people lived and raised their kids.