John Hancock 
Mezzotint
1776
Frame: 11 ¼” x 8 5/8”; Sight: 9 ¾” x 7 1/8” 
 
John Hancock's 1776 Mezzotint Portrait: A Revolutionary Phenomenon

 
In 1776, Thomas Hart's portrait of John Hancock, President of the Congress of the Thirteen United Provinces of America in Boston, became a worldwide sensation. The presence of the French inscription "Jean Hancock President au Congress des XIII Provinces unies d'Amerique a Boston" suggests that it was intended for a global audience, with French being a commonly used language in diplomacy at the time. As President of the Continental Congress, Hancock played a significant role in the American Revolution, particularly in the declaration of independence from Great Britain.