Description:
Drawing of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, drawing attributed to John Wallis (w. 1783-1814), London, England, 1783. Framed and matted grisaille (gray monochrome) watercolor, measuring 6 x 7.5 inches, which depicts Benjamin Franklin and George Washington in an allegorical scene. On the left, Franklin is instructed in his writing by Minerva, goddess of wisdom, with blindfolded Justice standing nearby.Opposite, Washington gazes at the viewer while escorting the figure of Liberty, who gestures toward the new country. Above all, the winged figure of Fame holding a laurel wreath heralds the allegorical scene with a trumpet blast. In the center of the image an oval map of the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to Florida has been pasted down. Drawn in brown ink on different paper than that of the watercolor, the map depicts the United States, with state names and boundaries labeled. Two small portions of the map have been cut away to allow the underlying, and possibly earlier, watercolor image to be seen. The mat has an inscription, "Washington & Franklin/ Richard Woodman, fecit/ 1783." A hand-drawn statement later added to the watercolor’s mat names Richard Woodman as the maker (“fecit.”). This would refer to Richard Woodman the Elder, as his more famous son – also an engraver/artist of the same name - was not born until 1784. The senior Richard Woodman apprenticed with Thomas Jones Woodman in 1781 and may have been confused with his master, Thomas, by the creator of the attribution cartouche. The source of Woodman’s credit remains unknown, as does the apprentice’s involvement, if any, in designing the allegory. This is the original drawing for Wallis' print of Washington and Franklin with a map of the east coast of the United States, published on March 18, 1783, and printed by Thomas Jones Woodman and Henry Mutlow. A copy of this print is owned by the British Museum. John Wallis was a London mapseller, publisher, and maker of puzzles and board games in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Wallis studied mapmaking under the stationer William Johnson. After his apprenticeship he partnered with Stonehouse for the short lived imprint "Wallis and Stonehouse." The firm lasted for two years until Wallis declared bankruptcy in 1778. Wallis began another firm specializing in children's puzzles, books, and games. With his sons John Wallis Jr. and Edward Wallis, he was one of the most prolific publishers of board games of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Wallis' cartographic output is significant including a Revolutionary War map of the Americas, various pocket and disected maps of London, Westminster, and environs.
Tags:
allegory; maps; historical figures; presidents Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2021.27.1 |
