Penn State the History of the Book

A Visual History of Americaâs Founding Document

By: John Bidwell

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Paperback | 4 July 2024

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Perhaps the single most important founding document of the United States of America, the Declaration of Independence became both a work of art and a mass-market commodity during the nineteenth century. In this book, graphic arts historian John Bidwell traces the fascinating history of Declaration prints and broadsides and reveals the American public's changing attitudes toward this iconic text.

The new and improved intaglio, letterpress, and lithographic printing technologies of the nineteenth century led to increasingly elaborate reproductions of the Declaration. Some were touted as precious relics; others were aimed at the bottom of the market. Rival publishers claimed to have produced the definitive visualization of the document, attacking the character and patriotism of other firms even as they promoted their own artistic abilities and attention to detail. Meanwhile, painter John Trumbull attempted to sell subscriptions for an engraved version of his Declaration painting, and John Quincy Adams--then secretary of state--commissioned an official 1823 edition in response to the feuding facsimilists seeking government patronage. Bidwell unravels the intricate web of rivalries surrounding these competing publications.

Featuring a comprehensive checklist of nearly two hundred prints and broadsides drawn from various collections, this engrossing history highlights the proliferation and widespread influence of the Declaration of Independence on American popular culture. It will be equally esteemed by general readers interested in American history, print and autograph collectors, and art and book historians.

Industry Reviews

"I can't think of a more essential book as we prepare to celebrate America's 250th birthday. With erudition, literary panache, and a wealth of striking images, John Bidwell has breathed new life into an old and still precious document. Highly recommended."

-Ted Widmer,author of Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington

"Nineteenth-century Americans encountered the Declaration of Independence as a work of art in myriad facsimile engravings and lithographs. Through painstaking historical and bibliographical research, John Bidwell expertly traces the creation and evolution of these iconic images. Thanks to Bidwell, anyone interested in how the Declaration became an iconic document will now have to reckon with its visual image, not just its words."

-Scott E. Casper,President, American Antiquarian Society

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