Paul Revere’s Boston Massacre—Official Library of Congress Color Facsimile, 1970
FACSIMILE - NOT AN ORIGINAL
A striking official Library of Congress facsimile of one of the most famous and influential images in American history: Paul Revere’s The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th, 1770. Published by the Library of Congress in 1970 through the Verner W. Clapp Publication Fund, this carefully produced color facsimile reproduces the Library’s original copy of Revere’s celebrated engraving and is identified in the lower margin as “LC Facsimile No. 4.”
Issued only weeks after the Boston Massacre, Revere’s original engraving transformed the confused confrontation between British soldiers and Boston civilians into an emotionally charged scene of deliberate slaughter. Although largely derived from a design by Henry Pelham, Revere’s quickly published version became one of the most recognizable pieces of political propaganda of the Revolutionary era. Its dramatic composition, vivid hand coloring and identification of the victims—including Crispus Attucks—helped inflame colonial opposition to British rule.
The facsimile remains housed in its original red presentation folder bearing the titles “In Facsimile,” “The Boston Massacre 1770,” and “Engraved by Paul Revere.” The print displays the intentional toning, discoloration and irregularities of the historic original from which it was reproduced; these should not be mistaken for damage to the modern sheet.
Date: 1970
Publisher: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Series: Library of Congress Facsimile No. 4
Production: Verner W. Clapp Publication Fund
Artist of original: Paul Revere
Subject: Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770
Approximate size: 13½ × 16 inches
Condition: Very good overall. The facsimile is clean and well preserved, with only minor handling consistent with age. The original red presentation folder shows light edge and surface wear. Please examine the photographs for condition details.
An impressive display piece connecting Paul Revere, the Boston Massacre and the propaganda campaign that helped propel the American colonies toward revolution.
FACSIMILE - NOT AN ORIGINAL
A striking official Library of Congress facsimile of one of the most famous and influential images in American history: Paul Revere’s The Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th, 1770. Published by the Library of Congress in 1970 through the Verner W. Clapp Publication Fund, this carefully produced color facsimile reproduces the Library’s original copy of Revere’s celebrated engraving and is identified in the lower margin as “LC Facsimile No. 4.”
Issued only weeks after the Boston Massacre, Revere’s original engraving transformed the confused confrontation between British soldiers and Boston civilians into an emotionally charged scene of deliberate slaughter. Although largely derived from a design by Henry Pelham, Revere’s quickly published version became one of the most recognizable pieces of political propaganda of the Revolutionary era. Its dramatic composition, vivid hand coloring and identification of the victims—including Crispus Attucks—helped inflame colonial opposition to British rule.
The facsimile remains housed in its original red presentation folder bearing the titles “In Facsimile,” “The Boston Massacre 1770,” and “Engraved by Paul Revere.” The print displays the intentional toning, discoloration and irregularities of the historic original from which it was reproduced; these should not be mistaken for damage to the modern sheet.
Date: 1970
Publisher: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Series: Library of Congress Facsimile No. 4
Production: Verner W. Clapp Publication Fund
Artist of original: Paul Revere
Subject: Boston Massacre, March 5, 1770
Approximate size: 13½ × 16 inches
Condition: Very good overall. The facsimile is clean and well preserved, with only minor handling consistent with age. The original red presentation folder shows light edge and surface wear. Please examine the photographs for condition details.
An impressive display piece connecting Paul Revere, the Boston Massacre and the propaganda campaign that helped propel the American colonies toward revolution.
