Charles Braddock Gifford

Charles Braddock Gifford (1829 – November 17, 1888) was an American draughtsman, landscape artist, lithographer, and painter of city views based in and around San Francisco in the late 19th century. Gifford was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and worked there as a carpenter until about 1855, around which time he headed west to seek his fortune. By 1860, Gifford had established himself as a lithographer and landscape artist in San Francisco. His wife, Josephina, was from Nicaragua, and his earliest views include scenes of Mission Dolores, Vallejo, and Santa Clara. Gifford collaborated first with publisher Louis Nagel and subsequently with Bancroft. He began producing views in 1860 and continued to issue new views with various publishers until about 1877. He is best known for his highly ambitious 1862 view of the city on five large panels measuring some 9 feet across, published with A. Rosenfeld. He issued approximately fifteen views in total, most of which were of greater San Francisco. Gifford died in San Mateo in 1888.