"The British Surrendering their Arms to Gen. Washington after their defeat at York Town in Virginia October 1781" after John Francis Renault, 1819

Presented is an engraving entitled “The British surrendering their arms to Gen. Washington after their defeat at Yorktown Virginia October 1781.” The dedication continues in the bottom margin, “To the defenders of American independence, this print is most respectfully inscribed by their fellow citizen, Jn. Fcis. Renault, assistant secretary to the Count de Grass, and engineer to the French Army, at the siege of York.” The engraving is after a painting by John Francis Renault, and engraved by Tanner, Vallance, Kearny & Co. and William Allen, in Philadelphia in January of 1819. 

This historic print depicts the surrender of the British forces after the Battle of Yorktown. The print shows Lord Cornwallis offering his sword to the Duke de Lauzun, who defers the weapon to General Washington. British officers stand with Cornwallis on the right and French and American officers are shown at center and left. The immediate background is filled with an elaborate allegorical scene. Behind the British troops is a female representation of “Discord,” wearing a billowing robes and liberty cap and floating on storm clouds, as she sends lightning bolts to up-end the British people and a chariot below her. Behind the American and French officers, “Prosperity” stands next to an overflowing cornucopia, with “Justice”, an infant child with a paddle inscribed “American Constitution,” representing the helm of statehood. They crowd around a neoclassical monument with a giant urn inscribed with the names of American heroes, including Montgomery, Franklin, Mercer, Laurens, Putnam, Adams and Lee. The urn is flanked by two tall columns, peaked with a statue of Liberty, complete with liberty pole and liberty cap. The scene extends to grassy hillsides in the far background, filled with soldiers no longer in conflict with one another. 

The British surrender took place on October 19, 1781. It ended the month-long Siege of Yorktown and virtually guaranteed American independence. Beginning in September, Cornwallis and a force of 7,000 men had encamped in Yorktown, hoping for either rescue or reinforcements from the sea. However, the French naval fleet routinely repelled the British vessels. Several weeks into the encampment, General Washington deployed a large army to Yorktown, and with heavy artillery fire, bombarded the British positions. American and French forces were able to overrun two of the British strongholds, forcing Cornwallis to fold and surrender.

Included in this engraved depiction are many leaders of the American, French, and British troops that took part in the siege, with several identified in the lower margin. They are, from left to right: General Benjamin Lincoln, Comte de Rochambeau, Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton, General Washington, General H. Knox, Duc de Lauzen, General Thomas Nelson, Marquis de Lafayette, Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton, General Charles Cornwallis, Lt. Col. Robert Abercrombie, Brig. General Charles O'Hara, Com. Thomas Symmonds, Lt. Col. Thomas Dundas, and Lt. Col. Lord Chewton.

The artist, John Francis Renault, was a French Army engineer with the Comte de Grasse’s fleet at Yorktown, and claimed to have been present at the battle and surrender. His best-known artistic work was “The Triumph of Liberty,” an engraved print, published in New York, of an allegorical scene that honored the American Revolution. “The Triumph of Liberty” was sold by subscription, starting in 1796. In March of 1804, Renault filed for copyright and printed a prospectus of his picture of the Yorktown surrender, which he intended to call “The Siege of York.” The prospectus gave an elaborate description of the work and noted that the subscribers price would be 12 dollars for the engraving, with $1 as a down payment and the remainder due upon delivery. In 1815 and 1816, he published notices in newspapers to explain to subscribers why the plate for the printing was still unfinished. When the print finally appeared for sale in January 1819, it had the new title “The British Surrendering their Arms to Gen: Washington after their defeat at York Town in Virginia October 1781.” 

CONDITION:

Very good condition, considering age. Engraving on woven paper.  With moderate toning throughout, a crease down the center-right side, trimmed margins. Engraved full title in bottom margin, "The British Surrendering their Arms to Gen. Washington after their defeat at York Town in Virginia October 1781", with the dedication line continued below, "To the defenders of American independence, this print is most respectfully inscribed by their fellow citizen, Jn. Fcis. Renault, assistant secretary to the Count de Grass, and engineer to the French Army, at the siege of York.”  The publication line reads “Drawn by Jean Francis Renault” at left and “ Engraved by Tanner, Vallance, Kearny & Co, and Wm. Allen” at right. At the left bottom edge “Entered according to Act of Congress, the 28th. day of January, 1819.”

The engraving is archivally and artfully framed with black linen top mat, acid-free mats, coroplast backing, U.V. Plexiglas and a custom built wooden frame with gold fillet. 

Framed dimensions: 32 3/7” H x 42 3/4” W x 1 1/2” D.

Accompanied by our company’s letter of authenticity.