Elbridge Gerry
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Accession Number
NPG.2011.140
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the striking 1811 print *Elbridge Gerry* by John Raphael Smith, master English engraver renowned for his innovative mezzotint technique. This portrait captures the likeness of Elbridge Gerry, a pivotal in American history, rendered with the soft, velvety tones characteristic of Smith's work. Produced just two years before Gerry's vice presidency under James Madison, the print reflects the era's fascination with the Founding Fathers through accessible reproductive art. Gerry, a Massachusetts statesman and signer of the Declaration of Independence, served in the Continental Congress and ...