c. 1776 Engraved Hand-Colored Print titled, “La Destruction de la Statue Royale a Nouvelle Yorck,” measuring 15.75 x 11.5 inches, Engraved by Franz Xaver Habermann, Fine.
This “fantasy” Hand-colored engraving by Franz Xaver Habermann portrays the scene of New York following the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776. A part of a German series of imaginative VUE d’ Optique. Although the engravers not witnessing the scene firsthand and having no direct knowledge, this engraving is what Habermann believed the city looked like leading up to War. This scene in particular is of a well known historical event that took place in New York when the ‘Sons of Liberty’ tore down the statue of King George III and melted down the lead from the statue to create musket balls to use as ammunition against the British. In this version, mostly scantily clothed blacks (slaves?) are shown doing the hard work while others look on. This tightly margined engraving has minor creases at right and a couple well sealed edge splits with slight even overall tone.