Armand-Julien Pallire (1784-1862)

The French fleet coming to the rescue of America with Benjamin Franklin in the foreground and the English expelled from Philadelphia

Details

Armand-Julien Pallire (1784-1862)
Pallire, A.-J.
The French fleet coming to the rescue of America with Benjamin Franklin in the foreground and the English expelled from Philadelphia
inscribed 'Philadelphy 80' and 'Boston' and on the mount 'J. Palliere Franklin obtient de Louis XVI l'envoi d'une arme pour secourir les Etats-Unis d'Amerique'
black chalk, pen and gray ink, watercolor heightened with white (partly oxidized)
15 x 21 in. (394 x 533 mm.)

Lot Essay

Benjamin Franklin was appointed ambassador to France in December 1776 and arrived there with treaty proposals from the newly independent United States of America. A treaty was signed on 6 February 1778 and very soon war broke out between France and England. At the same time France sent a fleet, led by the Comte d'Estaing, that left from Toulon in April 1778. The French sailed for Philadelphia. The French, carrying a heavy load of cannon, choose to ashore at Newport.
Franklin is in the foreground receiving a cornucopia from France, represented by a putto leaning on a shield with the Arms of France. On the left is the English Lion and Albion expelled from Philadelphia. The French cannon are on the left of the dock. One of the figures in the center could be the Comte d'Estaing.