The British surrendering their arms to General Washington after their defeat at YorkTown in Virginia October 1781
Drawn by John Francis Renault
Engraved by Tanner, Vallance, Kearny & Co. and William Allen
Philadelphia
1819
Conservation Framing
This is an strong image of an appealing American historical print and a fine example of an early Philadelphia imprint. This print shows British officers on the right, with Cornwallis presenting his sword, and French and American officers, center and left, with George Washington holding his hat in his left hand. Officers identified, from left: “Lincoln, Rochambeau, Hamilton, Washington, Knox, De Lauzen, Nelson, La Fayette, Tarleton, Cornwallis, Abercrombie, O’Hara, Symmonds, Dundas, [and] Chewton.” The allegorical scene on the right, behind the British, shows discord, a female figure, wearing liberty cap and floating on clouds, sending lightning bolts to up-end people and a chariot; on the left, behind American and French officers, prosperity stands next to cornucopia, with Justice and others in attendance, next to a tall pillar topped with Liberty holding staff with liberty cap.
According to Groce and Wallace, Renault was a painter of historical and allegorical scenes. His Triumph of Liberty was advertised in NY in 1795. When this print was published in 1819, Renault described himself as a citizen of the United States.
