Attributed to Archibald Robertson (1765-1835). “Geo. Washington.” From An Historical View of the United States.
London: H. D. Symonds, ca. 1795. 3 7/8 x 3 (oval). Engraving by W. Grainger on laid paper. Narrow margins. Print has been drum mounted onto 20th century old card stock. Baker, 164. Very good condition.
This image appeared as a frontispiece to William Winterbotham’s An Historical View of the United States (London, 1795). Additional London editions of the book appeared in 1799 and 1819 where the image appeared, and given the separate copyright notice, the plate could have been used for other books or issued separately. None of the often seen prototypes of Washington’s portrait by famous artists can be attributed to this image, but Baker attributes Archibald Robertson as the source.