Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull First Edition Engraving, circa 1823

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Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull First Edition Engraving, circa 1823

About the Item

This is the 1823, first edition engraving by Asher Durand, after Colonel John Trumbull's original painting -- depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence -- the rarest and most celebrated of all subsequent engravings. Of the many paintings produced by American artist John Trumbull (1756-1843), his painting Declaration of Independence, which was commissioned in 1817, purchased in 1819, and placed in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in 1826, is his most prolific and widely known image. The painting depicts 42 of the original 56 signers of the Declaration, as well as several delegates who participated in the Continental Congress but did not sign the document. Seated along the periphery are the delegates, focusing intently on the committee who drafted the Declaration: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson. They stand before John Hancock, the President of the Constitutional Convention who is famous for his bold first signature. Thomas Jefferson himself, in fact, played an integral role in the work, having been the one to suggest to Trumbull that the scene of the signing of the Declaration be painted. Trumbull started the work at Jefferson's residence in Paris and claimed that "I began the composition of the Declaration of Independence, with the assistance of [Jefferson's] information and advice." Jefferson also gave the artist a firsthand description and a rough sketch of the Assembly Room. Following Jefferson's initial encouragement, however, work on the painting slowed, as Trumbull insisted on painting as many of the signers from life as possible. Starting in 1787, Trumbull proceeded to travel the country, and make a trip to Paris, with his sketchbook and canvas in order to capture the likeness of at least all of the still living participants of the Convention. The work was apparently worth the wait though, for Jefferson would declare of the portraits "admirable likenesses, they all are." In the central group in the painting, Jefferson is shown placing the Declaration before John Hancock, president of the Congress. With him stand the other members of the committee that created the draft: John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston and Benjamin Franklin. Of the many engravings made of Declaration of Independence, this is the first and rarest. American artist Asher B. Durand (1796-1886) who painted Kindred Spirit, began his career as an engraver with this project. The extraordinary quality of the engraving, and its exceptionally large size for an engraved work of the time, firmly established Durand's reputation as one of the finest engravers in the country and greatly propelled his career. Despite the date of 1820 appearing on the engraving itself, the engraving actually took Durand three years to complete, and was published in 1823, shortly after John Trumbull finished the painting and before the painting was finally placed into the Capitol Rotunda. A copy of the same engraving was presented to Thomas Jefferson himself before his death in 1826, and it hangs prominently in Jefferson's home at Monticello. The lifespan for an engraving plate of this type is typically in the range of 200 prints, before wear to the plates causes degradation of the print quality. Thus very few of these prints survive today. Later engravings of the scene in the mid- and late-19th century would attempt to capture the scene on the scale of Durand, but none would match the quality and brilliance of Durand's achievement. Published in New York in 1823, the sheet size measures 23.75" x 32.40" and has been expertly restored and cleaned and is presented using the finest archival materials and procedures.

Dimensions:
Height: 36 in (91.44 cm)Width: 44.25 in (112.4 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
Period:
1820-1829
Date of Manufacture:
1823
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Colorado Springs, CO
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU90973149602