Bidspirit auction | Duplessis-Bertaux - Independence of the

Duplessis-Bertaux - Independence of the United States, Alliance with France [Independence des Etats-Unis] - This fascinating engraving is Jean Duplessis-Bertaux's Independence des Etats-Unis . The engraving was published in Paris in 1786 by Pierre Blin. This curious originally colored mezzotint was made to describe and affirm the bond and friendship between the newly-founded United States and the Kingdom of France. It includes an engraving of the bust of King Louis XVI atop busts of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington. A Native American stands with his foot upon the neck of a leopard, symbolizing England. A broken trident is underneath the paw of the leopard, symbolizing the defeat suffered by the British during the American Revolution. The text, published in France, seeks to extol the French involvement in the American Revolution. Jean Duplessis-Bertaux (1747-1819) was a French painter. His work includes depictions of the French Revolution and Napoleon's campaigns. Paper Size: ~ 9 1/4” by 12 3/4” Paper Type or Special Features: Mezzotint Engraving