Paul Revere's most famous engraving titled the “Bloody Massacre Perpetrated in Kings Street in Boston” was created just 3 weeks after the Boston Massacre occurred. He made it probably the most effective propaganda piece in American history to motivate patriots to move closer to independence from the Crown. As such he took some liberties depicting the incident.
In 1770, Boston was a powderkeg waiting to go off. Only a city of roughly 15,000, Boston had 4,000 soldiers stationed there. On March 5th, tensions escalated to a breaking point. Colonial laborers and merchant sailors started throwing snowballs at British snowballs. Then rocks. Panic ensued and a shot rang out. Then more shots from the British soldiers. As the smoke and chaos began to clear five civilian colonists were gravely injured or already dead. It is believed the first to succome to his injures was Crispus Attucks, the black merchant sailor twenty years removed from slavery.
Revere did not create the drawing himself. He was an accomplished engraver of course, but not an artist, and hence used the image produced by a young illustrator by the name of Henry Pelham to trace his engraving. Pelham publicly accused Revere of plagiarism in the Boston Gazette of copying his drawing without permission. In Revere’s defense, we could note that copying somebody’s work at that time was not considered a crime and the feud was probably more about the silversmith not sharing the proceeds from selling the print with Pelham
Museum-quality prints made on thick and durable matte paper. Add a wonderful accent to your room and office with these posters that are sure to brighten any environment.
Frame not included.
• Paper thickness: 10.3 mil
• Paper weight: 5.57 oz/y² (189 g/m²)
• Giclée printing quality
• Opacity: 94%
Collections: Father's Day, Handmade | Made by Hand by Maniacs, Home, Home and Living, Liberty Maniacs Wall Art | Posters and Prints, New Arrivals, Prints | Museum-Quality Art Prints, Wall Art | Prints, Canvases, Flags, Signs, and Metal Art
Type: Poster
Category: 1770, american history, art, boston, colonial, colonies, engraving, independence, Kings Street, liberty maniacs, massacre, paul revere, revolution