The Constitutional Convention - plate 17 from "The Bicentennial Pageant of George Washington"

John William Winkler

'The Constitutional Convention', by printmaker John W. Winkler, depicts George Washington and the members of the Constitutional Convention. In 1787, George Washington was persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention and subsequently was unanimously elected its president. The Convention met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from May 14 to September 17. Delegates gathered to correct the various problems that had arisen while the newly-independent nation was operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Great Britain. The historic result of the Convention was the crafting of the United States Constitution.

This etching, 'The Constitutional Convention', was included in the 1932 publication "The Bicentennial Pageant of George Washington', (also called “The Life of George Washington") which was edited by John Taylor Arms and printed in England (a bit of irony) by Henry E. Carling on laid paper with watermarks “GW” (George Washington's monogram) and an eagle and shield coat of arms that was handmade at Head Mill, Maidstone, England and published by the American Art Foundation in an edition of 1000 (plus 20 artists’ proofs).

The marketing for the portfolio read: “The American Art Foundation has the honor to announce Twenty Masterpieces in Etching each executed by one of America’s most distinguished artists.”

Originally commissioned by private investors, each artist was asked to complete a piece relating to George Washington, his private and public life. The respective artist signed each impression in the portfolio at the time of issue, and the entire set bears those original signatures.

Included among the artists are: William Auerbach-Levy, Ralph Boyer, Samuel Chamberlain, Kerr Eby, Sears Gallagher, Childe Hassam, Arthur William Heintzelman, Eugene Higgins, Earl Horter, Robert Lawson, Allen Lewis, F. Luis Mora, Robert H. Nisbet, Louis C. Rosenberg, Ernest David Roth, Albert Sterner, Walter Tittle, Levon West, J.W. Winkler, and George Wright.