Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Unequalled Collection of Engraved Portraits of Napoleon Bonaparte and His Family and Marshals, Belonging to Hon. James T. Mitchell, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania: Embracing the Most Important Collection of Portraits in Mezzotinto, Aquatint, Line and Stipple; Including Many Printed in Colors as Well as Choice Proofs, Also the Extraordinary Collection of Caricatures on Napoleon by Cruikshank, Gillray, Rowlandson
As in the case of the Engraved portraits of Washington, the whole world has been ransacked in the search for Portraits of Napoleon Buonaparte. The wonderful rise of the Corsican youth to the throne of France, History has marked as an Epoch not to be surpassed. His ambition, courage and great generalship, whiche made him virtually conqueror of the old world, have imbued us with a Spirit of awe, akin to veneration; so much so, that even those who are pleased to condemn him, are as much interested in collecting his portraits as are his most ardent admirers, and this spirit has extended not only over all Europe, but has crossed the ocean, and we here in America find pleasure in accumulating portraits, caricatures and mementos of this greatest character in European history, and like our Washington, his. Portrait will be found in almost every household; consequently it is almost impossible today to make a collection of the portraits of Napoleon of any considerable account, and it is only when an opportunity like this is offered that we are enabled to possess ourselves of the rarer specimens. Chief Justice Mitchell was one of the earliest and most enthusiastic collectors in this line, and during the last forty or fifty years has gathered many portraits of Napoleon, members of his family, and of his marshals, of the greatest rarity, and at the same time exhibiting examples of the Engraver's Art in Mezzotinto, Aquatint, Line and Stipple, not to be surpassed, and including a great number of choice specimens of the long-lost art of printing in colors.
The Collection of Caricatures is of the greatest interest and the most important in this country. They really depict a complete political history of the great Napoleon, through the spectacles of the English, French, Italian, German and other nations of Europe. Many of them, especially the Eng lish, are of the most vulgar character, while not a few serve to eulogize the wonderful deeds of this truly great man.
We have considered it unnecessary to mention any particular print, as there are so many rarities, and in cataloging them we have classified them in such a manner that they can readily be discerned. The descriptions are correct, and the index will afford a ready reference for those interested.
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