Description:

James Madison
Philadelphia, PA, November 12, 1814
[James Madison] Presidential Portrait! Joseph Delaplaine ALS Explaining Delay in Producing James Madison's Engraved Portrait, With Great Artistic Content
ALS
A 2pp autograph letter signed by Philadelphia book publisher Joseph Delaplaine (1777-1824) as "Joseph Delaplaine" on the second page at lower right. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. November 12, 1814. Inscribed on either side of cream-colored paper. Docketed on the reverse. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, isolated water stains, tiny edge chips, smudges, and foxing, else very legible and near fine. 7.875" x 10." The letter is accompanied by a previous catalog description including a full transcript; as well as several print-outs of Delaplaine-Madison correspondence retrieved from Founders Online and the Library of Congress.

Delaplaine addressed this letter to 4th U.S. President James Madison (1751-1836), apologizing for an unexpected delay in the engraving of the president's portrait. Delaplaine explained that the principal blame lay with David Edwin (1776-1841), an English-American printmaker. Delaplaine related that Edwin's quality of work had inexplicably declined in recent months (deterioration probably caused by Edwin's failing eyesight.) Delaplaine described Edwin's most recent work as so "indifferently executed," "nothing worth looking at," and "so wretched" that Delaplaine promised to contact other engravers to replace Edwin. It is thus surprising to find out that, less than a week later, Delaplaine announced in a November 18, 1814 letter to Madison that Edwin would be able to complete Madison's portrait after all!

Delaplaine's letter has great artistic content, as he mentions notable contemporary artists like:

- "Mr. Leney," referring to William Satchwell Leney (1769-1831), who Delaplaine explains had just engraved a bust of Washington after Houdon

- "Mr. Jones," referring to William R. Jones (active 1810-1824), a pupil of Edwin's

- "Mr. Tiebout," referring to Cornelius Tiebout (ca. 1773-1832)

- "Mr. Gimbrede," referring to Thomas Gimbrede (1781-1832)

Delaplaine had announced his intention of publishing an illustrated biography of America's luminaries about 18 months earlier, in a letter to Madison dated May 23, 1813. The first edition of "Delaplaine's Repository of the Lives and Portraits of Distinguished American Characters" would be published in 1815. Interestingly, neither the 1817 second edition nor the revised edition containing the second volume of "Delaplaine's Repository" contained an image of James Madison. Perhaps Madison rejected Edwin's final likeness.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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