His Excellency GENERAL WASHINGTON Commander in Chief of the Forces of the United States of North America &c.

• Price: $750.00
  

  SKU: 11271

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• ARTIST: Pierre Eugene du Simitiere

• PUBLISHER: Published May 15th 1783 by R. Wilkinson, London.

• MEDIUM: Stipple and line engraving,

  DATE: 1783

• EDITION SIZE: Image size 4 7/16 x 3 9/16" (11.2 x 9.1 cm).

• DESCRIPTION: Drawn by Pierre Eugene Du Simitiere, engraved by B. B. Ellis. <BR><BR> An important lifetime portrait of the nation's first President.<br><br> Pierre Eugene du Simitiere (1737-1784) Born in Geneva. After leaving the Republic of Geneva, he spent more than a decade in the West Indies before moving to New York and then Philadelphia. He spelled his name Pierre-Eugene du Simitiere, Pierre Eugene du Simitiere, or du Symitiere after settling in Philadelphia. Elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1768, he further became one of its curators (1777-1781).<br><br> Du Simitiere served as the artistic consultant for the committees that designed the Great Seal of the United States, and in 1776 he submitted the first proposed design to include the Eye of Providence, which element was eventually adopted and suggested the adoption of the U.S. motto E pluribus unum ("Out of Many, One").<br><br> During the early Revolution, he drew portraits of many American military and political leaders, including Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, John Jay, William Henry Drayton, John Dickinson, Benedict Arnold, among others, all of which were published in a 1783 book. These small portraits were issued in black & white as well as printed in colors, aka, a la poupee. The latter likely being sold as a deluxe edition.

• ADDITIONAL INFO: Framed in a 2 inch black and gold lip molding. Overall framed size 9.25 x 8 inches.

• CONDITION: Good condition.

• REFERENCE: Hart, Catalog of the Engraved Portraits of Washington #75

• CATEGORIES: 18th-19th Century Subjects , Portraits , Washington