From Revolution to Republic

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), April, 2007

Stunning engravings, etchings, watercolor, pen and ink drawings, among many other items, including firsthand visual testimonies of major battles (Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill) and scenes of the early revolutionary period--a number of them by British and American soldiers who participated in the incidents they depicted--are featured in "From Revolution to Republic in Prints and Drawings." Also on view are a variety of George Washington portraits, ranging from formal paintings to allegories, mourning pictures, and textiles.

This exhibition of nearly 100 items is organized in two sections: "Dawn of the American Revolution, 1768-1776" and "Selections from the C.W. McAlpin Collection." It is an illuminating examination of the portrayals of current events of the period as well as the rich visual art forms prevalent during that time.

In "Dawn of the American Revolution," visitors see how printmaking in America expanded during the Revolutionary War to fulfill the increasing needs for visual reportage of current events and easily distributable political propaganda. This section has eyewitness accounts of significant early conflicts between the American colonies and Great Britain, including the Boston Massacre, the battles of Concord, Lexington, Bunker Hill, and Long Island, and the British capture of Ft. Washington and Ft. Lee.

Many images were created by British and American soldiers, and historians continue to rely on them to corroborate written accounts of the period and construct more comprehensive narratives about the American Revolution. Included are such treasures as the Paul Revere engraving, "A View of Part of the Town of Boston in New-England and Brittish [sic] Ships of War Landing Their Troops! 1768" (1774), Henry Pelham's "The Fruits of Arbitrary Power, or The Bloody Massacre" (1770), and Amos Doolittle's engravings of the battles of Lexington and Concord (1775).

Meanwhile, Charles Williston McAlpin's collection of 1,700 portraits of George Washington came to The New York Public Library as a gift in 1942. While many pieces in the collection were created to adorn the walls of public and private buildings, others served as currency, bonds, labels, calendars, upholstery, and book and magazine illustrations, depicting Washington in the roles of commander in chief of the Continental Army, first president of the U.S., private citizen, and mourned hero. Items on display include a number of prints based on paintings by prominent artists of Washington's time, such as Charles Willson Peale, John Trumbull, and Gilbert Stuart; more obscure works such as a 1783 cartoon of "Mrs. General Washington" striking a 13-strand whip at Britannia; and two 18th-century printed textiles.

The popularity of depictions of Washington originated during the Revolutionary War, as his fame spread throughout the American colonies and Europe, and increased during his tenure as president. Washington's death in 1799 prompted another surge of printed portraits and tributes, and various events during the subsequent two centuries prompted further production of his likenesses, and interest in collecting them.

"From Revolution to Republic in Prints and Drawings" can be seen through July 7 at The New York Public Library.