The Father of Our Country.
Hand-colored engraving, published by Illman & Sons, after John Trumbull, c. 1841-1859. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association Collections, Gift of Mrs. Richard Austin Smith Sr. in memory of her mother, Katharine McCook Knox, 1984 [Print-4165/RP-568].
In an effort to remind voters of civic duty and patriotic sacrifice on the occasion of a presidential election, the firm Illman & Sons engraved this image, based on John Trumbull's 1792 portrait of George Washington Before The Battle of Trenton. The encounter marked a turning point in the American fight for independence. In his autobiography, Trumbull wrote that he aimed to capture "the scene, its dangers, its almost desperation" in addition to Washington's "lofty expression of his animated countenance, the high resolve to conquer or perish" in the face of adversity.