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Henry Laurens

Valentine Green, 1739 - 1813

1782

Henry Laurens by Valentine Green, 1739 - 1813

Medium

Print

Classification

Print

Department

Smithsonian Collection

Museum

Smithsonian American Art Museum

Credit

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the National Gallery of Art; gift of the A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, 1942

Accession Number

NPG.65.46

Tags

QuillMerchantPlanterHenry Laurens: MaleOfficerGovernment officialContinental congressmanCarpetPortraitScroll

Art Historical Context

This elegant 1782 portrait by British engraver Valentine Green captures Henry Laurens, a figure in America's fight for independence. Green, renowned for his masterful mezzotint technique—which allowed for velvety tones and dramatic shading—created this image shortly after the Revolutionary War, likely based on a painting to honor Laurens' contributions. As a merchant, planter, officer, and president of the Continental Congress,ens symbolized the era's blend of commerce, military resolve, and revolutionary zeal. Depicted with a quill, scroll, and sword against a luxurious carpet, Laurens embod...

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