The Battle at Bunker's Hill (June 17, 1775)

Art Historical Context

Step into the heat of the American Revolution withThe Battle at Bunker's (June 17, 1775)*, a steel engraving capturing one of the war's earliest and bloodiest clashes. Fought on the hills near Boston, the battle pitted colonial forces against British troops in a fierce struggle for Breed's Hill (often misnamed Bunker). Though the British won, their pyrrhic victory—marked by heavy casualties—boosted patriot morale and symbolized American resolve. This print vividly portrays soldiers locked in combat, with swords clashing, firearms blazing, and chaos unfolding amid smoke and determination. Created between 1840 and 1877 by engraver Joseph Napoleon Gimbrede after John Trumbull's iconic painting, and honoring patriot leader Joseph Warren—who fell leading the defense—the artwork reflects 19th-century Romantic fascination with Revolutionary heroism. Steel engraving, a precise intaglio technique on durable steel plates, allowed for intricate details like the glint of bayonets and expressions of valor, enabling widespread reproduction for an eager public. At 9 13/16 x 12 7/8 inches, this intimate yet epic scene from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection invites reflection on the Revolution's human cost and enduring legacy.

About the Artist

Joseph Napoleon Gimbrede|John Trumbull|Joseph Warren (American|American|American) · 1820 |1756 |1741 –1877 |1843 |1775

American, West Point, New York 1820–1877 New York|American, Lebanon, Connecticut 1756–1843 New York|American, Roxbury, Massachusetts 1741–1775 Boston, Massachusetts