A VIEW IN AMERICA IN 1778.
Np. [London]: “Publd. M. Darly, Augt. 1. 1778.” Etching on laid paper with early hand-coloring; platemark 245 x 355 mm (9 5/8 x 14 inches); sheet 270 x 380 mm (10 5/8 x 14 7/8 inches); with some light toning in places, marginal loss to center right, small marginal chip and repair to the lower left corner and small split in the upper right corner, not affecting the plate. An extremely rare and important political cartoon from the American War of Independence, etched by popular engravers and print-sellers Matthew and Mary Darly and bearing “MD sc[ulpit]” in lower left corner of scene. This etched cartoon was published in London a month following the evacuation of Philadelphia by the British Army. The figures of British and American soldiers are taken from original eyewitness drawings of the American conflict done by Lieutenant Richard Mansergh St. George (1752-1798), who served in the 52nd Regiment of Foot’s elite light infantry company during the New York and Philadelphia campaigns of 1776-1777. We previously acquired the original St. George drawings used in the compilation of this Darly cartoon (now in the collections of the Harlan Crow Library). It is most likely that St. George lent his drawings to the Darlys after he returned to Britain in 1778, invalided home following a severe head wound received during the battle of Germantown. St. George had an established relationship with the Darlys, having contributed cartoons and caricatures for publication prior to the war. This Darly cartoon and the St. George drawings and cartoons are discussed at length in curator Matthew Skic’s superb catalog of the Museum of the American Revolution’s 2019-2020 exhibition, The Cost of Revolution: The Life and Death of an Irish Soldier (Philadelphia: MoAR, 2019), pp. 35-68. Extremely rare, with no auction records noted and only two examples currently located: the British Museum and the Library of Congress (BM SATIRES 5482; CRESSWELL 734).
Item #108