GEORGE WASHINGTON.  Important copper engraving on wove paper of George Washington engraved and printed by Noël Le Mire in Paris in 1780 after a painting by Jean-Baptiste Le Paon.  Entitled, “Le General Washington, Ne quid Detrimenti capiat Res publica,” measures 15.5 by 12.25 inches, nicely matted to an overall size of 20 by 16 inches, and in very good condition with a few areas of tearing and paper loss that have been professionally repaired (especially around the right side of Washington’s face and the top right corner).

IMPORTANT COPPER ENGRAVING ON WOVE PAPER OF GEORGE WASHINGTON ENGRAVED AND PRINTED BY NOËL LE MIRE IN PARIS IN 1780 AFTER A PAINTING BY JEAN-BAPTISTE LE PAON

A full-length military portrait of George Washington in camp with his slave, Billy Lee, tending to his horse in the background and his army marching in the far distance.  Washington holds the Declaration of Independence and Treaty of Alliance with France in his hand and stands on fragments of rejected peace offers from Great Britain.  Le Paon based Washington’s head on that of Charles Willson Peale and Lee tending the horse from John Trumbull.

A FULL-LENGTH MILITARY PORTRAIT OF GEORGE WASHINGTON HOLDING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND TREATY OF ALLIANCE, STANDING ON REJECTED PEACE OFFERS FROM GREAT BRITAIN, AND WITH HIS SLAVE, BILLY LEE, TENDING TO HIS HORSE

Three identical Washington engravings sold for $4,375 at Early American History Auctions in October 2004, $3,750 at Bonhams in September 2014, and $3,125 at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries in August 2021.