"Patriae Pater (Father Of His Country)" by Rembrandt Peale, Amer., (1779-1860)

Lithograph on wove paper, 1827, 19-3/16 x 15-6/16, signed in the stone at l.l. "Drawn on Stone by Rembrandt Peale" "Copyright secured 1827" at center, and "Pendeltons Lithography Boston" at lower right. Below this in large script is the title "Washington", and below this "From the Original Portrait Painted by Rembrandt Peale". Considerable toning, most noticeably at the edges of the substantial margins, which show only minor edge loss at the left corners, and measure 1-1/2 on the sides and 1-1/4 at top. All marginal inscriptions are intact, and the bottom margin extends 1/8 beyond the bottom line of text and seems to coincide with embossing from the outer edge of the litho stone itself. The print has been skillfully conserved and save for residual age related toning the image appears much as it did when issued. There is a diagonal crease with some fiber breakage just outside the upper right image corner, but the entire sheet has been backed with japan and is a remarkable survival considering it was originally backed with canvas on a stretcher with no glass when found! Rare today, this historically important lithograph was drawn on stone by Peale himself after his own famous "Porthole" portrait of George Washington, painted from life. Created two years after the first American lithograph, this large and impressive image is a technical "tour de force" with it's striking detail and subtle range of values and textures. Foremost however, is the emotional gravity with which Peale has imbued this portrait of our first president, making it an iconic image and a masterpiece of early American lithography.