Sir Thomas Smith
Unknown Artist
1776 to 1800
Medium
facsimile
Dimensions
plate: 18.5 × 13.5 cm (7 5/16 × 5 5/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1950.14.1123
Art Historical Context
This elegant facsimile print depicts *Sir Thomas Smith*, a notable figure likely from British history, rendered an unknown artist between 1776 and 1800. Measuring a compact 18.5 × 13.5 cm from the plate, it exemplifies the precision of late 18th-century print techniques. Facsimiles like this were meticulous reproductions, often created to faithfully copy paintings or drawings, making prestigious portraits accessible beyond elite circles. In the era the American and French Revolutions, such prints played a key role in disseminating images of influential statesmen and scholars, bridging art and...