James Eight's watercolors take viewers on a romantic journey through a city of Albany filled with quaint Dutch influences. Since the 1850s, they have been used to reinforce a romantic view of Albany's past. This image was created from a combination of memory, research, and observation. It provides insights into the character of Albany as it expanded into a commercial transportation center. It shows North Pearl Street, where a black woman and child stand in the foreground as reminders of the vital part of African-Americans played in Albany's economy and society.