American Revolution
Scarce 1903 Charles E. Goodspeed after Amos Doolittle Engraving titled "A View of the South Part of Lexington"
1903-Dated, Rare Limited Edition, No. 56 of 75 only and the plate destroyed, Hand-Colored Engraving titled, "Plate IV. A View of the South Part of Lexington", after Amos Doolittle engraved by Sidney L. Smith, published by Charles E. Goodspeed, Boston, Framed, Very Fine.
This superbly executed historic Hand-colored engraving of The Battle of Lexington is after the original by Amos Doolittle (American, Cheshire, Connecticut 1754"1832, New Haven, Connecticut) a.k.a. "The Paul Revere of Connecticut," by Artist: Sidney Lawton Smith (American, 1845"1929) and Published by: Charles E. Goodspeed of "Goodspeed's Bookshop" (Boston, Massachusetts). Burning buildings can be seen as the British retreat back to Boston while harrased by Patrior Minutemen firing their muskets from behind stone walls. Short damp stains along extreme outer upper and lower edges and light areas of internal tone. The original plate impression is clearly seen in outline of the engraved portion. This Engraved Print measures about 22" x 18" (by sight), framed under UV Plexiglas to 25.25" x 21". Plate IV of the four plate series depicting the Battle of Lexington & Concord which took place April 19, 1775. Noted at lower left, "No. 56 of an Edition of seventy-five only and the plate destroyed". In a recent 2022 major New York auction, a pair of original Doolittle engravings from this rare series sold for in excess of $750,000 Ex: PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF AMBASSADOR J. WILLIAM MIDDENDORF II. This is an excellent opportunity to hang a virtually perfect engraved duplicate, one of only 75 created before the plate was destroyed, at a vastly more affordable price.
Plate IV. A View of the South Part of Lexington, 1775:
by Amos Doolittle (1754"1832) and Ralph Earl (1751"1801)
Engraving on copper; colored. First advertised for sale in New Haven, Connecticut, on 13 December 1775. One original located at the New York Public Library, New York, NY.
A View of the South Part of Lexington (Plate IV) shows the regulars in action as they returned to Lexington after the engagement on Concord Bridge. It was there that they met the relief column from Boston headed by Hugh, Earl Percy. Minutemen can be seen in the foreground firing behind walls as British soldiers attempt to defend the column as it marched through the withering gauntlet. Several houses sit ablaze in the background, torched presumably to deny snipers safe perches. As in Plate II, Doolittle has added identifying numbers which are captioned below the image:
"1. Colonel Smith's Brigade retreating before the Provincials. 2. Earl Piercys [sic] Brigade meeting them. 3 & 4. Earl Percey & Col. Smith. 5. Provincials. 6 & 7. The Flanck-guards of Piercys Brigade. 8. A Field-piece pointed at the Lexington Me[e]tinghouse. 9. The Burning of the Houses in Lexington."
The four famous engravings executed by Amos Doolittle are the best documentary evidence we have of the Battle of Lexington / Concord. Doolittle, a Connecticut militia man, was not present during the battle, but he went there two weeks later and interviewed people who were present at the successive skirmishes.
Ralph Earl, a painter just starting his career and interested in landscape views, also visited Lexington and Concord. He probably created the preparatory drawings and may have colored some of the prints. Where Earl leaves off and Doolittle takes over can only be surmised " but Doolittle certainly created the engravings himself since that was his expertise.
KEYWORDS:
Revolutionary War, Historic American Prints Engravings, Paul Revere,