JOHN TRUMBULL (1756-1843). American painter and military officer best known for his historical paintings of the American Revolutionary War, of which he was a veteran. Aide-de-Camp to General George Washington during the first year of the war. He has been called the "Painter of the Revolution." His Declaration of Independence (1817) was used on the reverse of the commemorative bicentennial Two-dollar bill.
1789-Dated Federal Period, Partially-Printed Document Artist Signed, “Jno. Trumbull” receipt form for being “One Half of the Subscription for “THE SORTIE OF GIBRALTAR” engraving, Very Fine. His bold brown ink signature measures a large 2.75” long at lower right. This form measures about 3.5” x 8.5” on clean laid period paper having s few trivial tone spots. Hailed as the foremost Painter of the American Revolution, John Trumbull is best remembered for the four iconic images that grace the walls of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda depicting the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Surrender of General Burgoyne, the Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and General Washington Resigning his Commission. “THE SORTIE OF GIBRALTAR” depicts the events of the night of November 26, 1781, when British troops made a sudden attack (sortie) against the enemy batteries during the Great Siege of Gibraltar, an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the War of American Independence. During the night of November 26th, 1781, the British responded with a highly successful surprise attack, or “sortie”.

The Spanish soldiers fled, leaving behind the wounded officer Don Jose de Barboza. He is shown refusing offers of assistance from the British General George Elliott and Captain Mackenzie as he lies beside his broken sword. In 1784, Trumbull traveled to England. Seeking a theme to boost his reputation there, he portrayed the sortie at Gibraltar, in which British forces overthrew a Spanish siege, set the Spanish military works ablaze, and mortally wounded the Spanish commander, Don Jose de Barboza. The British general George Augustus Elliott offered Barboza sanctuary, but the Spaniard valiantly chose to die with his men. The picture gains veracity from the portraits of the British officers, which Trumbull made from life. An excellent example of his signature tied to one of his most famous paintings and engravings.
Trumbull was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, to Jonathan Trumbull and his wife Faith Trumbull. His father served as Governor of Connecticut from 1769 to 1784. Both sides of his family were descended from early Puritan settlers in the state. The young Trumbull entered the 1771 junior class at Harvard College at age fifteen and graduated in 1773. Due to a childhood accident, Trumbull lost use of one eye, which may have influenced his detailed painting style. As a soldier in the American Revolutionary War, Trumbull rendered a particular service at Boston by sketching plans of the British works.

He spent a brief period in the Continental Army as an Aide-de-camp to General George Washington during the first year of the war. After a dispute over the date of his officer's commission, Trumbull resigned from the army. Soon after, an opportunity arrived for him to travel to England to study art under the painter Benjamin West. Trumbull had been engaged in a series of paintings based on the American Revolution, which had been criticised in London.

He saw the subject of the Siege as one with which he could demonstrate that he supported British heroism as well, writing: "I now resolved to exert my utmost talent upon the Gibraltar, to show that noble and generous actions, by whomsoever performed, were the objects to whose celebration I meant to devote myself." Trumbull laboured on the composition, over many sketches and three large completed canvases.

Trumbull did five oil paintings of the sortie in total, the first three of which differ, while the other two are copies. Preliminary sketches also survive. His first version was completed in 1787. The second version, done in 1788, is on view at the Cincinnati Art Museum, Ohio, and measures 20 by 30 inches.
[American Revolution, Great Siege of Gibraltar, Federal Period] [John Trumbull, American Portraiture, Declaration of Independence Signers] [Manuscripts, Documents, Engravings, Autographs]