William Penn — Engraved Portrait
London, late 18th century — Frame: 9 x 6⅜ inches; sight: 7½ x 4¾ inches
 
Engraved portrait of William Penn, shown in profile within an oval surround, issued for the European Magazine. A small vignette below depicts Penn’s treaty with Native Americans, reinforcing his enduring association with principles of religious tolerance and peaceful governance in colonial Pennsylvania.
 
Such portraits, widely circulated in late eighteenth-century periodicals, reflect the continued interest in foundational figures of British North America during the era of the American Revolution. Penn’s legacy as founder of Pennsylvania remained central to contemporary interpretations of colonial identity and governance.
 
Condition: Very fine.