William Henry Bartlett made four visits to the United States between 1836 and 1852. From the earlier of these visits resulted a series of views which were published c. 1840 as American Scenery, with a text by Nathaniel P. Willis. American Scenery contains a number of views of the mountains, lakes, and waterfalls of the White Mountains. A prolific illustrator, Bartlett made sepia wash drawings the exact size to be engraved. His engraved views were widely copied by artists, but no signed oil painting by his hand is known.

Bartlett died on board a French ship returning from a voyage to the Orient. Engravings based on Bartlett’s views were later used in his posthumous History of the United State of North America, continued by B. B. Woodward and published c. 1856.