Gilman R. Russell (1822-1877), artist. Declaration of Independence. In Congress, July 4th. 1776, The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America. Lithographed broadside. Manchester, New Hampshire: Gilman R. Russell; J.H. Bufford, lithographer, [circa 1856]. 20 x 26 in. Bidwell 28; Nash p. 266.

An attractive mid-19th-century lithographed broadside of the Declaration of Independence featuring a large standing portrait of George Washington after Gilbert Stuart's Landsdowne portrait. He is surrounded by the text itself, encircled by boughs of oak leaves and a large titular arch. The piece notes that the original was "designed & executed entirely with a pen by Gilman R. Ruseell, teacher of practical, plain & ornamental, writing and drawing." 

Gilman R. Russell (1822-1877) was an accomplished calligrapher and travelled across the country teaching penmanship. He is also known to have produced a lithograph of the Emancipation Proclamation with Abraham Lincoln in 1863. 

Bidwell records the publisher as William H. Fisk (with publisher's notice at the foot of other known copies); however, this copy, although trimmed, states Russell himself as the publisher. 

An attractive copy of the Declaration. 

References

John Bidwell. "American History in Image and Text." Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society.  Vol. 98, Issue 1 (1 January 1988), p. 247-302. 

[American Revolutionary War, American Revolution, Founding Fathers, Declaration of Independence, Colonial America, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe] [Art, Folk Art, Military Art, Etching, Engraving, Lithographs, Prints, Ephemera]

Line of black residue. Minor toning. Short marginal tears. Lower edge trimmed partially affecting copyright statment.