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An exceptionally rare and highly desirable early 19th-century commemorative British mezzotint engraving of General George Washington.
Published in London by D. Gally on January 8, 1801, exactly one year and a few weeks following Washington’s death, this print was issued to satisfy the massive global demand for high-quality memorial portraits of the late American president.
The composition is heavily modeled after the iconic 1790 life portrait by renowned American painter Joseph Wright of Philadelphia. It features General Washington in a crisp right-profile stance wearing his Revolutionary War military uniform. His left hand is shown holding a classic tricorn hat, while his right hand rests deliberately upon the barrel of a cannon. In the lower-left background, a subtle battle scene featuring an active horseman is visible. The lower margin features complete, cleanly struck inscription lines, including the attribution "Painted by H. Wright of Philadelphia" to the left, "P. Dawe fecit" to the right, and the publisher's line "London Published by D. Gally No. 263 High Holborn, Jany. 8th, 1801" centered below the plate border. It is beautifully subtitled in elegant cursive script: "Late President of the American Congress."
Paper & Authenticity:
This piece is a guaranteed, authentic period impression of institutional caliber matching permanent examples held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It features a prominent, deeply compressed rectangular plate mark outlining the image area. Most notably, the sheet bears a distinct, verified "C.C." watermark visible through the paper under a light source, providing absolute material proof of its late-Georgian handmade rag-paper production and successfully distinguishing it from 19th-century restrikes or modern photomechanical reproductions. The lower edge showcases a beautiful, natural deckled edge.
Condition:
Good historical condition overall. The sheet features unusually wide, generous margins surrounding the deep plate lines, though the bottom left corner displays localized water staining and associated minor paper loss/fraying. The dark, velvety contrasting blacks characteristic of a fine early mezzotint remain richly preserved. The central image area and all historical text lines are clean, crisp, and entirely unaffected by the corner wear. Free of major tears or structural backings across the primary plate. Unframed.
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