October 1774 Paul Revere-Engraved Political Cartoon titled, "The Mitred Minuet," as Published in “The Royal American Magazine”, Vol. I, No. 10, by Isaiah Thomas, Satirizing the Quebec Act, Signed in the Plate "P. Revere Sc.”, Framed, Fine.
A rare October 1774 Political Satirical Copper-Plate Engraving by Paul Revere, titled "The Mitred Minuet," published in "The Royal American Magazine," Vol. I, No. 10, headed in the plate "No XV. Engrav'd for Royal American Magazine. Vol. I" and signed in the text at lower right, "P. Revere Sc." This print is professionally matted having some roughness to the outer marginal borders and a fine short split at tip at center and a chipped upper left corner affecting “N” of “No”. Overall, sheet retains a strong impression with light foxing at right primarily in the outer selvage. The printed engraved sheet is framed under special UV Protestant Plexiglas to fully 10.75 x 7.5 inches, whereas the engraved image measuring 8 x 4.5 inches (by sight).

This Engraving satirizes the Quebec Act of 1774, one of the "Intolerable Acts," which enlarged the Province of Quebec and guaranteed its French Catholic inhabitants free practice of their religion and retention of French civil law. To Protestant New England, already inflamed by the Boston Port Act and other punitive legislation, the Quebec Act appeared to promote Catholicism as a matter of imperial policy, and the print gave visual form to that outrage. Paul Revere did not originate the design, which had first appeared anonymously in the London Magazine that July; he copied it for Isaiah Thomas's “Royal American Magazine” that October.

The engraving depicts four mitred bishops joining hands in a minuet above a paper inscribed "Quebec Bill," watched by seated clergy at right and stylishly dressed onlookers at left, one playing a stringed instrument. Period sources identify further figures as Frederick, Lord North, and John Stuart, Earl of Bute, in highland dress, presiding beneath a flying devil, the whole a jab at a ministry seen as conspiring to impose Catholicism and tyranny together upon British America. This engraving is recorded in Clarence S. Brigham's standard reference, "Paul Revere's Engravings," with copies held by the British Museum and the John Carter Brown Library.

Provenance: Collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II.