“The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776” by Engraver Waterman Lilly Ormsby, Framed

Design Plus Gallery presents The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 by Engraver Waterman Lilly Ormsby (American, Hampton, Connecticut 1809–1883 Brooklyn, New York). The engraving is after John Trumbull’s (1756-1843) painting, commissioned by Congress in 1817. Though restrained in feeling, this print describes a profound revolutionary moment. It affirms the right of the original thirteen American colonies to separate from Great Britain—an unprecedented challenge to royal authority. The title is slightly misleading since what we actually witness is the drafters of the Declaration of Independence—John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin—presenting the text to the Second Continental Congress at Philadelphia on June 28, 1776, six days before ratification. Forty-two of the eventual sixty-two signers appear here portrayed from life. Based on Trumbull’s famous painting of 1786, the print was engraved to mark the centenary of the United States. The frame shows some wear to but overall the piece is in good condition for it vintage age + use.