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One of a number of British memorial graphics and eulogies commemorating George Washington at the time of his death. Such works sympathetic to the new American nation had a ready audience on the Continent as well as the British Isles. Credited with the image is "W. Birch Esq. of Carolina," even though William Birch by that time was working in Philadelphia and not Carolina. The exact source of this image is uncertain because a miniature by Birch is recorded as being in England at that time, and more than one could easily be present. Scholars such as Baker, Eisen (II: 491-2) and Wick (p. 59) seem to disagree about whether this is after the "Vaughan" or "Lansdowne" version of a Gilbert Stuart piece, but the important point is that it illustrates the popularity of Washington in Europe. $525
Benjamin O. Tyler. "Eulogium Sacred to the Memory of the Illustrious George Washington, Columbia's Great and Successful Son: Honored be his Name." Also, around oval portrait of Washington, "Sacred To The Memory of the Brave." New York: B.O. Tyler, 1817. Engraved by P[eter] Maverick, Newark, N. Jersey. 19 x 23 (full sheet). Condition: Printed on a fragile, thin sheet; with some subsequent tears and missing chip at right margin just into engraved surface. Print professionally conserved and backed. The image is totally intact and strong. Some skinning from the back is evident but in the unusually full margins. References: Baker, 404. Hart, 796b. Stauffer, 2232, iii.
The complexity of this dedicatory print to George Washington almost defies description. It is a most impressive exercise in penmanship and engraving by Benjamin O. Tyler, "Professor of Penmanship." A strong, stipple engraving of Washington after the Stuart portrait is in an oval which surmounts two statements which mourn his death: "Gen. George Washington departed this life Decr. 14th 1799 AE67. And the tears of a NATION watered his grave" and at the base "Washington's no more by silence grief's express'd / Lo! here he lies, his Works proclaim the rest." The portrait is flanked by Masonic symbols: a book held open by a compass and angle on the left and a shining sun on the right. The emphasis of the text appearance is calligraphy using many letters and ingenious figures of angels to express encomiums and prayers.
The story behind it tells volumes about the reputation of Washington among the American people in the first half of the nineteenth century. In his landmark article "American History in Image and Text," in Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, Vol. 98, pt. 2(1988) see especially pp. 247-53, John Bidwell has shown that Benjamin Tyler's memorial was first issued at the same time as John Trumbull's famous print of the Declaration of Independence, and, indeed, it competed with it because Trumbull complained of the situation. In this third state of the memorial, Tyler added a facsimile of Washington's signature to the bottom right corner, thus appealing to the new fashion of collecting authentic signatures at that time. In this way, Tyler also aligned his print to compete with John Binns' famous print of the "Declaration of Independence" which contained facsimile signatures of all the signers. This beautiful, complex, and fascinating print expresses much about the patriotic fervor of Americans at this time. $1,600
John I. Donlevy. "Sacred to the Memory of the Illustrious Champion of Liberty General George Washington First President of the United States of America." New York: John Donlevy, circa 1832. Engraving. 16 1/2 x 14. Wear in lower left and some minor surface blemishes. Expertly conserved and overall very good appearance. Hart: 862a; Wick, pp. 58-62.
Calligraphic illustrations were popular means for engravers to demonstrate their skill (cf. Tyler print above), and that is well evidenced by this tour-de-force by John I. Donlevy. Donlevy, who lists himself as an "Intaglio-chromographic and Electrographic Engraver," used his engraving and calligraphic skill to make this memorial image of Washington based on Stuart's "Athenaeum" painting. The face of the portrait is a straight engraving, but the rest of the bust is done with effusive swirls, and the writing giving the title, as well as Washington's dates, is done in various elaborate calligraphy styles. A nice example of a memorial for Washington and a particularly fine example of American engraving. $1,250
Leon Cogniet. "Washington." New York: James Herring, 1839. Engraving by Jean Nicolas Laugier; signed by Laugier in pencil. 24 3/4 x 20 3/4. Very good condition. Baker: 417.
A handsome print of Washington from the first half of the nineteenth century, highlighting the fashion in American culture for images of George Washington. During his life and following his death, Washington was elevated to national symbol, and his image graced every possible object from water jugs to neckerchiefs. Prints showing Washington were issued during his life-time and pretty much continuously throughout the nineteenth century. This is one of most impressive full-figure engravings produced. This portrait is especially fine, taken from Gilbert Stuart's work from the neck up, but realistically portraying Washington's stature. As his adopted son, George Washington Parke Custis, noted, Cogniet's representation was one of only two extant to capture Washington's "matchless limbs." $2,400
“Washington.” Subtitled “From the Celebrated Picture in Fanieul Hall, Boston.” After Gilbert Stuart’s full-length portrait of Washington at Dorchester Heights. Mezzotint by H.S. Sadd. 11 x 7 3/8 (image) plus margins. Washington, 1841. Repaired vertical tear on left side.
This lovely mezzotint is a fine example of American engraving from a series founded in a portfolio titled Monuments of Washington. The purpose of the portfolio was to present a biographical study of George Washington as revolutionary commander and first president. Use of this high quality mezzotint process declared the high esteem that was held for him by all Americans at the time. $225
Alfred Newsam. "George Washington. 1st. President of the United States." Philadelphia: C.W. Williams, 1846. Ca. 10 1/2 x 9. Lithograph by P.S. Duval. Original hand color. Very good condition.
A handsome portrait from a rare series of "Portraits of the Presidents." The publisher of this series was C.W. Williams, who used two of the most important figures in early American lithography, Alfred Newsam and P.S. Duval. Alfred Newsam, a deaf mute, began work as a lithographic artist almost two decades before working for Cephas G. Childs, a Philadelphia engraver and print publisher. Newsam was particularly noted for his portraits, including all the earliest images for the McKenney & Hall series of Indian portraits. In 1831, Childs formed a partnership with Henry Inman, at which time he went to Europe to learn more about lithography, which was still in its early stages. Childs came back with P.S. Duval, to help run the Childs & Inman presses. This was perhaps Childs' most significant contribution to American lithography, for Duval was to become one of the foremost lithographers in the country and the world. The quality of the work of both Newsam and Duval is evident in this fine portrait, which is finely drawn, lithographed, and colored. The image is surrounded by an elaborate border, indicating that Williams wanted his series to stand out from the plainer prints issued by his competitors. His strategy does not appear to have been very successful, as the scarcity of these images indicates not that many were sold. $575
Tompkins Harrison Matteson. "Washington Delivering His Inaugural Address April 1789, in the old City Hall, New-York." New York: John Neale, 1849. 18 x 24 3/4. Engraving by H.S. Sadd. Strong hand color. Extensive repaired tears in title area, but otherwise good condition.
Tompkins H. Matteson was a painter of historical and political scenes who produced some of the more interesting historical images of the mid-nineteenth century. This steel engraving after Matteson's painting is by H.S. Sadd, who is well known for his historical engravings. The print was taken from a painting by Matteson that was specifically commissioned for the print. The scene shows Washington delivering his first inaugural address to the House and Senate in the old New York City Hall, which served as the U.S. Capitol at the time. The members of Congress are shown arrayed around Washington, who looks noble and inspiring on the dais in the middle of the picture. The mid-nineteenth century was a time when the legend of Washington was being built, and this print was very much a part of that process. An interesting and attractive American historical print. $550
Emanuel Leutze. "Washington Crossing the Delaware." New York: Goupil & Co., 1853. 22 1/2 x 38 1/2. Steel engraving by Paul Girardet. Minor foxing stains in the sky around Washington's head. Overall, very good condition. Large margins.
One of the most famous pictorial images produced of the American Revolution. This scene depicts Washington and his men crossing the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776. In November of 1776, Washington was forced to abandon New York City and retreated down in to New Jersey. He crossed the Delaware on December 11, to cover the capital at Philadelphia. The British troops under Cornwallis did not attempt to follow and went into winter quarters. Washington saw his opportunity to attack, and on Christmas night, crossed the river and landed nine miles north of Trenton. He surprised the Hessian troops stationed in Trenton and captured them easily. Washington returned back into Pennsylvania, with his prisoners, and later returned to Trenton on December 30, and 31, to occupy the town. Even though this is a very stirring and patriotic image, there are a number of historical inaccuracies. The boat is the wrong size and shape; the flag shown was not in use until six months later; and Washington himself would most likely have been thrown overboard on that stormy night. Even with these embellishments this print is a testament to the spirit of the occasion.
This print is after a painting, executed in 1851, by Emanuel Leutze. Born in Germany in 1816, Leutze is known mainly as a historical and portrait painter. He and his family emigrated to the United States and settled in Philadelphia, where he studied painting under John Rubens Smith. In 1840 Leutze traveled back to Germany to study under Lessing. He lived in Germany for twenty years before returning to America in 1859 to paint "Westward the Course of the Empire", an allegorical-historical mural for the House of Representatives in Washington D.C. For the remainder of his life Leutze spent his time between New York and Washington, dying in the former city in 1868. Today, he is best remembered as the painter of this famous image. $7,600
Junius Brutus Stearns. "Life of George Washington. The Soldier." New York: M. Knoedler, 1853. 18 1/4 x 24 1/2. Lithograph by Regnier. Printed in Paris. Original hand color. Repaired tear in bottom left margin not affecting image. Otherwise, very good condition. Professionally conserved and framed.
Junius B. Stearns (1810-1885) was an American genre and portrait painter who studied at the National Academy of Design, as well as exhibited there throughout his career and served as recording secretary from 1851 to 1865. Stearns became interested in historical themes and in 1849 completed a painting of the marriage of George and Martha Washington which was purchased by the American Art Union for its exhibit in 1850 and was subsequently part of the Art Union's lottery. Stearns was inspired by the success of this painting to plan a cycle of four images of the life of Washing and he solicited the AAU to commission this series, but was turned down. Stearns proceeded anyway and ended up with five paintings showing Washington as a citizen-at his wedding (modified from the earlier canvas), a farmer-overseeing workers on his plantation, a soldier-at the defeat of Braddock, a statesman-taking the inauguration oath, and finally as a Christian-on his deathbed.
Stearns had the five paintings made into lithographs in France, using Regnier to do the fine lithography. The critics applauded both the conception and execution of these fine prints which are a wonderful series showing the "Father of his Country" in a humanized manner. This example shows George Washington during the French and Indian War. In 1755, the British attempted to capture Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War. The French and their Indian allies routed the British and General Braddock was killed. Washington then had the responsibility of safely leading the army into retreat. This print shows the moment when Braddock was killed and is one of five painted by Stearns chronicling the life of Washington. $1,400
Junius Brutus Stearns. "Life of George Washington. The Farmer." New York: M. Knoedler, 1853. 18 1/4 x 24 1/2. Lithograph by Regnier. Printed in Paris. With repaired tears into image. Expertly conserved.
Another in the Stearns series of prints of Washington's life. This example shows George Washington overseeing workers on his plantation. He talks to a white man holding a rake, who is probably his overseer. The rest of the workers are black and would therefore have been slaves. This fact is not alluded to in the image, which indeed shows the slaves as happy and healthy. Mt. Vernon is shown in the background on a hill above the Potomac River. $350
Junius Brutus Stearns. "Life of George Washington. [The Christian.]" New York: M. Knoedler, 1853. 18 1/4 x 24 1/2. Lithograph by Regnier. Printed in Paris. Narrow margins top and sides, and bottom margin with short repaired tear and with sub-title trimmed off. Otherwise, very good condition.
Another of the prints from Stearns' series, this shows the final hours of Washington's life. Washington's family and friends gather at his bedside, Washington preparing himself for death with an equanimity founded in his knowledge that he had lived his life well and honorably. $325
F.O.C. Darley. “Put None But Americans on Guard Tonight.” New York: F.O.C. Darley, 1859. 13 5/8 x 10 1/2. Engraving by R. Hinshelwood. Hand color. Very good condition.
An engraving after Darley’s painting showing Washington issuing his famous (though apocryphal) command. This quote has been used over the years, including the “Know-nothings” in the 1850s, as a watchword for patriotism but also suspicion of “foreigners.” Darley is perhaps best known as America’s first great illustrator, producing numerous images for books and magazines in the nineteenth century. He also, though, produced many historical images which were made into separate folio prints. Indeed, such was Darley’s influence through his illustrations and prints that he must be seen as seminal in the forging of the American national identity, which Washington at its core. Here Washington is the central figure, shown astride his white stallion, with the American flag flying from a redoubt just above his head, may indicate that Darley was emphasizing the phrases patriotism. The print was probably inspired by the turmoil in the nation in the year leading up to the Civil War, Darley perhaps equating the secessionists with non-Americans. Whatever its intended meaning, this is a fascinating print by one of the best American artists of the period. $525
William Pate. "Washington's Last Interview with his Mother." New York: Max Jacoby & Zeller, 1860. 24 x 17 7/8. Steel engraving. One repaired tear on lower left, just into image. Else, very good condition.
Washington and his visibly feeble mother say their farewells as a friendly dog looks on. An interesting period piece with good interior detail. Many retrospective historical prints like this were issued around the period of the Civil War as part of the myth-making of American history. This print is typical of the type, and it provides not only a visually interesting document, but one that tells us more about the period when it was issued than of the period depicted. $350
G.G. White. "Father, I Cannot Tell A Lie: I Cut The Tree." New York: John C. McRae, ca. 1860. 14 3/4 x 21 1/2 (image) plus full and generous margins. Engraving by John C. McRae. Some old stains in upper left margin. Otherwise, very good condition.
A sentimental image of this apocryphal story of Washington's youth. The "Cherry Tree" episode was invented in 1806 by Parson Mason Weems in a book commemorating Washington's life that was first published in 1800. The book was issued in numerous edition through the 1830s, and this print, separately issued around 1855, is a wonderful reminder of the popularity of the story that exists even today as part of the Washington 'image'. The imagery of the print is very interesting, for the house shown in the background is a small, wood, single-story building, more appropriate to Lincoln's childhood than Washington's. Also shown are three black farm hands (slaves?). Another interesting feature is the fact that in this image Washington has not actually cut down the cherry tree, but rather just taken one cut of it. Perhaps the artist did not want Washington to have caused serious harm, just to have made a childish mistake? $600
John Faed. [Washington Receiving a Salute on the Field of Trenton]. "Go. Washington." [facsimile signature]. Ca. 1860. Steel engraving by William Holl. 23 1/2 x 17 1/2 (image) plus full margins. Perhaps proof before title. Fine condition. Eisen, II, 554.
John Faed (1820-1902) was a prominent English painter who made several portraits of Washington in the course of which he modified the face using both Trumbull and Stuart. This strong image of Washington on a charger, reviewing the troops, is a wonderful portrait with exquisite landscape. Eisen says that the engraver is "Hall" and that he worked for the Kendall Bank Note Company in New York at 285 Broadway during the nineteenth century. We doubt that the engraver misspelled his own name, so this print is done by William Holl (1807-1871) who worked with portraiture in London. $1,650
William E. Marshall after Gilbert Stuart. "G. Washington." New York: W.E. Marshall, 1862. 13 3/8 x 11 1/4. Steel engraving by W.E. Marshall. Very good condition.
An excellent engraving of George Washington by William E. Marshall, based on the famous oil portrait in the Boston Athenaeum by Gilbert Stuart. Marshall was well known for his superb portrait of Lincoln, issued in 1866, and for his equally fine engraving of Grant issued a few years later. Those prints were perhaps inspired in part by this excellent portrait of Washington. It was issued as a subscriber's print for The Christian Union, a newspaper published by J.B. Ford & Co. One of the best mid-nineteenth century portraits of the first president by an artist who would later produce what is often considered the best contemporary portrait of the 16th president. $600
John Whetton Ehninger. "Washington's First Interview with His Wife." New York: William Pate, 1863. 23 1/2 x 28 1/8. Engraving by G. R. Hall. Repaired tears in bottom margin and some light staining, mostly in margins. Image with good impression and appearance.
A sentimental and symbolic image showing George Washington courting Martha Custis. Martha is depicted sitting in a chair with her two children playing at her feet. Next to Martha is a larger, but empty, ball and claw leg Chippendale arm chair. Symbolically, the arm chair indicates that this chair is intended only for the "Man of the House." The fact that it is empty communicates to the viewer that Martha is a widow. George is seen standing next to the arm chair, with his hand on top of the back, which visually represents his interest and possible intentions of permanently occupying this chair. Overall, this scene has a classic formality and composition, keeping Washington in his 'heroic' plane even though engaged in the very human activity of courtship. $350
William Henry Powell. "Washington's Last Interview with His Mother." New York: William Schaus, 1 January 1864. Steel mezzotint by Henry Cousins. Strong hand color. 26 3/4 x 21 1/4. Very good condition.
The scene is Fredericksburg, Virginia where George Washington went to visit his aging mother prior to assuming the presidency of the United States. As he performed his filial duty she told him that she did not have long to live, and she blessed him and his mission, according to the text at the base of this print. William Henry Powell (1823-1879) was a portrait and historical painter who was raised in Cincinnati where he studied with James H. Beard. Moving to New York he studied with Henry Inman and later moved to New Orleans. In 1847 he was commissioned to paint the last great panel in the rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, which is that of DeSoto discovering the Mississippi River. He painted two versions of "Perry's Victory at Lake Erie" which exist in the Ohio State Capitol and in the U.S. Capitol. $575
After Gilbert Stuart. Pair of portraits of George and Martha Washington. Cincinnati: E.J. Middleton, 1864. Chromolithographs. Ca. 17 x 14 oval (print); ca. 21 1/2 x 19 frame. Paper mounted on canvas, as issued; original maker's stamp visible on back. In original frames (gold paint over wood); one with label of Cincinnati framer A.P.D. Ponte. A number of repaired tears in each. Else, good condition.
Elijah C. Middleton is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of chromolithography in America. Establishing his engraving firm in Cincinnati at mid-nineteenth-century, Middleton's business benefited from the city's prime location along routes of westward migration. As the city grew, so did a market for printed material - including chromolithographs. Middleton and his partner, W.R. Wallace, ventured from engraving into chromolithography and produced the oldest surviving chromolithograph from Cincinnati. Their partnership became the basis for chromo-publishing giant Strobridge & Company, which competed with Ehrgott & Forbriger for prominence in the Cincinnati and Midwestern print markets. Shortly after Hines Strobridge joined Middleton and Wallace in partnership, Middleton struck out on his own in 1861, advertising his own gallery of printed portraits made with "warranted oil-colors." These oval portraits are wonderfully done in chromolithography and are often found, as here, in frames from the period. Middleton's work gained him attention as far away as Philadelphia, where lithography giant P.S. Duval commented on Middleton as his competition. $800
"Washington and Lincoln. The Father And The Saviour Of Our Country." New York: Currier & Ives, 1865. Lithograph. Medium folio; 15 x 11. Some old stains, but overall very good condition. C:6510.
Currier & Ives, "America's Printmakers," issued many prints on current political and social themes, and during the Civil War these included a large number with a pro-Union bent. This is one of the best examples of that genre, a print showing George Washington shaking the hand of Abraham Lincoln before the eternal flame of Liberty. This tied together the "Father of his Country" with the President trying to preserve that country, as a Union and as the support of liberty throughout the world. $750
After S. J. Ferris. “Washington & Lincoln. (Apotheosis).” ca. 1865. Charcoal drawing. 19 1/2 x 15 1/2. Very good condition. In fine nineteenth century frame.
From the beginning of Abraham Lincoln’s national political career, campaign promoters paired him with George Washington, hoping that the Founding Father’s reputation would rub off on the young politician. Throughout his unusually trying season in the White House, Lincoln was compared again with Washington, as both men had taken the nation through difficult times. After Lincoln was assassinated, the pairing spread everywhere: as Americans mourned the late president, they purchased images of his arrival in heaven, where image makers imagined he was being welcomed by George Washington.
In 1865, Stephen J. Ferris participated in this trend, producing an image that was published by Philadelphian J.A. Arthur. Educated at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Paris, Ferris was a highly-trained and influential Philadelphia artist whose paintings and prints were exhibited throughout the and Europe. His image demonstrates that even fine artists took part in the elevation of Lincoln to American icon through the pairing of the sixteenth president with the first. In a shaft of heavenly light, Washington lifts Lincoln through the clouds to his eternal rest, where a crown of laurels awaits him and confirms his achievements as the Preserver of the Union. In some printed versions of Ferris’ image, a crowd of angels crouch from the clouds to beckon the two men. Like many images pairing the two, the picture was so popular as to be reproduced in cartes-de-visite form and copied by at least one amateur artist working in charcoal.
For admirers and students of art, copying prints was a common way to practice their own skills and enjoy the works of others. Such is the case here, in a very competent charcoal drawing produced by an anonymous amateur artist. His (or her) rendering retains a cast of the naïve, giving the piece a very folk-art-like appearance. Quite possibly, the image was copied from the carte-de-visite which accompanies the drawing, as both feature the same basic composition, a slightly edited version of the original. Both objects offer strong evidence for the deep-seated affection that the American public had for Washington and Lincoln, an affection and admiration that endures today.
Daniel F. Huntington. [Lady Washington’s Reception.] Proof before letters. Signed in pencil by artist and engraver. New York: Emil Seitz, ca. 1865. 21 1/2 x 35. Engraving by A.H. Ritchie. Strong impression. Expertly repaired tear in upper left of image; others in margins. Else, very good condition. Ref: Karal Ann Marling, George Washington Slept Here, 1988.
A superb engraving of Daniel F. Huntington’s painting “The Republican Court in the Time of Washington, or Lady Washington’s Reception Day.” This painting by the president of the National Academy of Design was designed to show not one particular reception, but rather to be a representative tableau of the Friday evening “teas” held by Martha throughout her husband’s term. The scene is filled with symbolism representing the august status conferred on Martha and George in the mid-nineteenth century. The elegance of the surroundings, the richness of the dress of those at the reception, and the formality of the situation and poses all recall a scene from any of the royal courts of Europe in the late eighteenth century. Indeed, it was likely the depicted refinement of the costumes and the obvious high status accorded to these American socialites that most explains the popularity of Huntington’s canvas and this elaborate print.
This engraving was a subscription print produced with the intent of generating a profit based on the popularity of the painting. In the nineteenth century, artists were often able to make more money from the sale of prints after their paintings than from the original canvases. Huntington clearly hoped he would benefit in this way, and the public exhibition of the painting in New York City during the fall of 1865 was precisely designed to achieve this end. Huntington hired a superior craftsman to render his image in steel. A.H. Ritchie, the engraver, was one of the best historical printmakers of the mid-nineteenth century. He is particularly known for the clarity and richness of his engravings, and this fine image is an excellent example of his work. The costumes, faces, and architecture are precisely and richly engraved. The merit of this print as an excellent example of historic printmaking from the last century is equaled by its value in depicting how George and Martha Washington were accorded an exalted status in the years following the Civil War. $900
Gilbert Stuart. "G. Washington." Philadelphia: William Smith, ca. 1865. Engraved by Tiebout. 20 x 13. Third state. Stipple engraving. Very good condition. Stauffer 3197; Hart 297.
A humorist once said that if George Washington appeared among us in the twentieth century and he did not look like Gilbert Stuart's portrait, made famous by the one dollar bill, nobody would accept his identity. Indeed, Stuart's is the best known of the many portraits of Washington, but few know that Stuart executed three basic portraits. The "Athenæum" portrait, a bust turned to the sitter's right, is the best-known because it is a facial image. It acquired the name because the original has hung in the Boston Athenæum until recently. The print described here is after the "Landsdowne" portrait, named for the British nobleman who commissioned the original painting. The third type portrait, called the "Vaughn" portrait, is seldom seen because Stuart caught an awkward image of Washington in which the awry mouth calls attention to the first president's wooden dentures. This last picture is the least popular of the portraits.
True to its nobility of intention, the Landsdowne portrait is a celebration of the nobility of Washington. It contains all the classical trappings of portraiture including the pillar of stability, the curtain of elegance, and in this case, the most beautiful representations of Neoclassical furniture seen in a portrait of any American in the eighteenth century. The first print issued after this painting was by James Heath in London circa 1800.
This print was engraved and published by Cornelius Tiebout (1770-1830), a student of James Heath, and was first issued in 1801. Producing most of his engravings with the stipple technique (as displayed here), Tiebout became one of the first and most respected professional engravers in the United States. He executed large portrait prints after several of Gilbert Stuart's portraits of Washington, Horatio Gates, John Jay, and Bishop White. This print is a later re-strike issued by William Smith. Smith, a Philadelphia print publisher, acquired scores of old printing plates, engraved his name on on them as publisher, and sold the numerous re-strikes from his shop. A wonderfully executed engraving by one of the best early American engravers. $450
After Gilbert Stuart. "Washington." Philadelphia: William Smith, ca. 1865-76. Tinted lithograph. 26 1/2 x 22 (full sheet). Excellent condition.
A bust portrait of George Washington based on paintings by Gilbert Stuart. A fine image of Washington whose memory was used to keep the United States together during the crises of the 1850s, during the Civil War, and through the Reconstruction Period. George Washington was a plantation owner, had slaves, and was a Southerner, but he was also a Federalist who wanted a strong central government and a balance of power among the branches of government. A portrait such as this would have hung in homes and offices and especially in schools. $350
Edward Lamson Henry. "Washington at the Battle of Trenton." Philadelphia: Charles J. Peterson, 1870. Mixed media engraving by Illman Brothers. 15 x 21 1/2. Light stains in wide margins. Very good condition and impression.
This dramatic engraving is one of the only antique print showing Washington's first important victory at Trenton. Here, on December 26th, 1776, and having just completed a hazardous crossing of the Delaware River, Washington defeated the Hessians encamped in Trenton, surprising them as they rested from their Christmas feasting. The Americans suffered less than ten casualties while almost two thirds of the Hessian force of 1,500 was killed, wounded or mostly captured. This victory gave new life to the Colonial army, which then went on to a second victory at Princeton. This image is inaccurate, but symbolizes this important engagement, with Washington astride his horse leading his men into the town, the Hessians shown futilely trying to set up a defense. The image wonderfully evokes the wintery conditions of the battle, with the snow skillfully shown falling by the engravers, Edward and George Illman of Philadelphia. This firm often did the engraving of plates for various ladies magazines published by Charles J. Peterson. This image is based on a painting owned by Peterson and the print was published by him. $1,300
The Currier & Ives print is a loose rendering of the Edward Savage painting, "The Washington Family." The family, consisting of the Custis grandchildren, George and Martha, sits in an apparent geography lesson with both a map and globe in view. The servant William Lee looks on from behind Mrs. Washington. $750
A large steel mezzotint engraving by William Sartain of George Washington and his family. The 'Father of the Country' sits in uniform surrounded by his family and symbols of American life. On a table, center, lies a copy of the official plan of the City of Washington. To the right the General has laid aside his sword, and to the left is an olive plant representing peace. Martha sits across the table of Washington and her two grandchildren flank their step-grandfather. Coming in the door is Washington's servant, William Lee. The handsome figures with calm demeanors, rich clothing and furniture, and many symbols graphically illustrate the ideals of American life in the nineteenth century. $650
"First in Peace. Representing the Arrival of George Washington at the Battery, New York, April 23rd, 1789…" London, Edinburgh and New York: Joseph Laing, 1888. 24 3/4 x 36 3/4. Steel engraving. Mat burn in margins. Otherwise, very good condition.
A large and bold, allegorical representation of George Washington arriving at New York for his first inauguration--the first inauguration of any president of the United States. This print was no doubt prepared to help celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of this great event in American history. $1,200
Etchings from the portfolio "The Bicentennial Pageant of George Washington." George Washington Memorial Association, 1932. Plates printed by Henry E. Carling, London, England. Edition 1000. Plates cancelled. Paper watermarked "GW" in circle at lower right, with Washington's coat of arms (shield, crown, and eagle) at upper left. Very good condition.
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