The Jay T. Snider Collection of Benjamin Franklin

Jean Charles Le Vasseur — Antoine Borel, after

Jean Charles Le Vasseur — Antoine Borel, after L'Amérique Indépendante, Dédiée au Congrès des Etats unis de l'Amérique. Paris: Ches l'Auteur rue Boucherat au coin de la rue Xaintonge, 1778 Allegorical line engraving (502 x 376 mm). Soiled and lightly toned, dampstained at lower margin, several closed tears extending into the plate neatly repaired, restoration to margins, pencil markings. A rare symbolic representation of the American Revolution as it was seen from France. The engraving features ten figures including Franklin, who stands centrally in a Roman toga, crowned with oak leaves. Among them, a kneeling indigenous woman represents America and embraces a pedestal upon which stands Liberty; Minerva protects Franklin from above as Prudence overlooks his shoulder; Courage batters Britain and Neptune with a club; and Commerce and Agriculture watch from the sidelines. While Franklin apparently sat for the work, he decided not to accept its dedication; instead, he requested that it be dedicated to Congress. Below the image is a seal similar to that of the Continental eight-dollar bill: a harp with the motto, "Majora minoribus consonat," or "the great are in harmony with the smaller," surrounded by a chain of thirteen links labeled with the names of the colonies (Sellers). REFERENCES Carson 1764; Halsey i.146; Sellers, Benjamin Franklin in Portraiture, pp. 120–121, 194–197

View 1 of Lot 119: Jean Charles Le Vasseur — Antoine Borel, after | L'Amérique Indépendante, a rare allegorical engraving

jean charles le vasseur — antoine borel, after | l'amérique indépendante, a rare allegorical engraving

Pierre-Michel Alix (engraver) — J. J. F. Le Barbier L'Aine, after

Pierre-Michel Alix (engraver) — J. J. F. Le Barbier L'Aine, after Untitled portrait of Benjamin Franklin, after Barbier's drawing of Houdon's bust. Paris: Chez Jean, rue Jean de Beauvais, no. 32, [ca. 1790] Oval stipple engraving (530 x 435 mm). Early manuscript pencil map to verso; scattered foxing, abrasions primarily to margins, one or two creases, instances of dampstaining, blue tape border worn with loss to tape edges, clipped ties affixed at verso (overall 595 x 505 mm). A very rare portrait based on the well-known bust by Jean-Antoine Houdon, ca. 1789. We locate one copy at Yale and a possible second copy at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rare Book Hub cites just four examples at auction, only one of which has appeared in the last century. REFERENCES Carson 1608; Halsey i.160; Sellers, p. 312 and illustration p. 19; cf. Metropolitan Museum of Art 83.2.231; Yale University Art Gallery 1948.8

View 1 of Lot 144: Pierre-Michel Alix (engraver) — J. J. F. Le Barbier L'Aine, after | A very rare portrait of Franklin

Results for "halsey"