The Washington Family

Art Historical Context

**The Washington Family** (December 1, 1800) is a striking hand-colored mezzotint print by engraver Edward Bell, with contributions from Jeremiah Paul, Jr., and publishers Atkins and Nightingale. Measuring 19½ × 25 inches, this work from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department captures George Washington at his Mount Vernon estate, surrounded by his wife Martha, female family members, and horses. Produced just months after Washington's death on December 14, 1799, it serves as a tender posthumous tribute to America's first president in his domestic life. Mezzotint, a technique pioneered in the 17th century, excels at producing rich, velvety tones and subtle gradations, mimicking oil painting's depth—ideal for intimate, evocative portraits like this. Hand-coloring adds a layer of warmth and realism, making the scene feel alive and accessible to 19th-century viewers. Culturally, the print reflects early American reverence for Washington as a familial patriarch and national icon, blending patriotism with everyday serenity. Hung in homes across the young republic, it helped immortalize his legacy amid widespread mourning, bridging art and public memory.

About the Artist

Edward Bell|Jeremiah Paul, Jr.|Atkins and Nightingale (British|American| ) · 1770 |1720 |1780 –1847 |1820 |1850

British, active 1794–1847|American, probably born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, died 1820 near St. Louis, Missouri|London and Philadelphia