The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Art Historical Context

Step into the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, where *The Declaration of Independence, July4, 1776* captivates with its grand scale and historical drama. This 1876, measuring an impressive 25⅝ × 32¼ inches on the plate, reproduces John Trumbull's iconic1819 painting housed in the U.S. Capitol. Trull, a Revolutionary War veteran and Neoclassical artist, depicted the presentation of the Declaration to the Continental Congress by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Roger Sherman—not the signing itself, as popularly imagined. Produced for America's centennial celebration, it immortalizes Founding Fathers like Benjamin Franklin amid a sunlit chamber, blending portraiture with patriotic fervor. Engraved by master printmaker Waterman Lilly Ormsby and printed by Cole & Co. in Brooklyn, this work showcases the precision of 19th-century intaglio techniques. Copper plates allowed intricate details—from powdered wigs to quill pens—to be etched and inked, enabling affordable mass reproduction. Unlike paintings, engravings democratized art, bringing this pivotal moment of 1776 into homes nationwide. Gifted to the Met in 1888 by William Loring Andrews, it remains a testament to how prints preserved and popularized American identity during the nation's Gilded Age rebirth.

About the Artist

John Trumbull|Waterman Lilly Ormsby|Cole & Co., Brooklyn, New York · 1756–1843

John Trumbull, born on June 6, 1756, in Lebanon, Connecticut, to prominent Puritan descendants, grew up in a politically influential family as the son of Jonathan Trumbull, Connecticut's governor from 1769 to 1784, and Faith Robinson Trumbull. His brothers included Joseph, the Continental Army's first commissary general, and Jonathan Jr., Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. A childhood a...