George Washington — Stipple Engraved Portrait
Engraved by Benoît-Louis Prévost (1735–1814)
France, circa late 18th century
Frame: 9⅞ x 7⅞ inches; sight: 8¼ x 6¼ inches
 
A finely executed stipple-engraved portrait of George Washington in left profile by the French engraver Benoît-Louis Prévost, one of the leading practitioners of the stipple technique in the late eighteenth century. The composition presents Washington within a circular portrait field framed by restrained classical lines, a format characteristic of portrait engravings produced for European publications of the period.
 
In the years following the American Revolution, Washington’s reputation spread rapidly across Europe—particularly in France—where he was widely celebrated as the victorious commander of the American forces and as a symbol of republican virtue. Portrait engravings of this type played an important role in disseminating his likeness to an international audience.
 
Condition: Excellent, with wide margins.