Joseph Addison: 18th C. Portrait of Philosopher, Poet, Playwright and Politician, 1748

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This is an 18th century copperplate engraved portrait of Joseph Addison, Esq. by Jacobus Houbraken after a painting by Sir … Read more This is an 18th century copperplate engraved portrait of Joseph Addison, Esq. by Jacobus Houbraken after a painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, from "The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain", published in London in 1748 by John & Paul Knapton. It depicts a bust portrait of Addison in an ornamental oval. He is turned to his right, but he is looking directly at the viewer. He is wearing a dark coat over a white shirt. Below the oval are items relating to plays, music, as well as the rod of Asclepius and books lying in foreground on the right.
Joseph Addison (1672-1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. he founded The Spectator magazine with his friend Richard Steele. In 1712, Addison wrote his most famous work, "Cato, a Tragedy". It focussed on the last days of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis, He was dealing with issues of individual liberty versus government tyranny. The play was particularly popular in America. It is credited as an inspiration for the American Revolution. General George Washington had Cato performed for the Continental Army at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78.

Several famous quotations from the American Revolution were inspired by passages in Cato, including: Patrick Henry's famous "Give me liberty or give me death!", inspired by Act II, Scene 4: "It is not now time to talk of aught, But chains or conquest, liberty or death.") and Nathan Hale's statement "I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.", inspired by Act IV, Scene 4: "What a pity it is. That we can die but once to serve our country.").

This beautifully inked engraved portrait has very large margins. The sheet measures 16 in height by 9.75" in width. There is mild faint spotting in the margins, which does not involve the image. The print is otherwise in excellent condition. See less