[American Revolution]

$9,500 · Offered by William Reese Company · No longer available

DEDIE AUX MILORDS DE L'AMIRAUTÉ ANGLAISE PAR UN MEMBER DU CONGRÉS AMERICAIN [caption title]. A very rare satirical print from the early years of the American Revolution, focusing on the role of America's international allies in the humiliation of Great Britain. Grouping it with the famous print "Picturesque View of the State of the Nation for February 1778," which similarly satirizes the dismantling of the British economy by America and her allies, Mary George describes the print as follows:"Numbers on the plate refer to an explanatory description in French. An English Admiral with wings and the claws of a vulture for hands and feet is tied to a tree while the American Congress [notably depicted as a Native American] cuts the claws on his feet. A Spaniard holds one of the wings while a Frenchman cuts it off to prevent his flight. Another Frenchman carries off packets of tobacco, while an Englishman in despair breaks his pipes. A fat Dutchman collects feathers from the other wing of the eagle, while his companion trades under the nose of England. Beneath the explanation is inscribed: Tel qu'un âpre Vautour dévourant l'Amérique/ Anglais, impunément tu crus la mettre à sac:/ Mais pour la bien venger d'un traitement inique/ Il n l'y [sic] reste pas une once de Tabac."Tobacco had long been the chief British import coming from America, and its use accelerated dramatically in the 1700s; by 1775, Great Britain was importing over 100 million pounds of tobacco from mainland America eac

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