Painted by Robert Salmon, this painting is of a quarantine island in boston harbor. Diseases ran rampant, especially on the cramped, damp ships that travel all over the world. Islands like Rainsford are where ships would moor and wait to be examined and cleared to proceed to the mainland, as a added precaution against the spread of diseases. The large white building is a hospital, proudly flying the american flag. This island would be one of the first things that foreign sailors saw when sailing into boston, and the first land their feet touched. the proud white building with its columns and flags demonstrate the glory and allure that america had towards foreigners.