The Life and Art of

 
 

The Tomb of Washington, Mount Vernon
Drawn by William Henry Bartlett (1809–54)
Engraved by John Cousen (1804–80), London
1838
Collection of the New Hampshire Historical Society, gift of Wesley G. Balla
2022.002.01

This drawing by British artist William Henry Bartlett was created during his first visit to the United States in 1835. He spent most of his time in the Northeast capturing scenes of historical importance. The drawings Bartlett made during his trip were published in London between 1837 and 1839, and then collected into a single volume and published in 1840 under the title American Scenery. The engravings were also widely available in the United States and served both as a source of inspiration for artists and as teasers for a growing number of tourists, who were just beginning to realize the number of interesting sites there were to visit around the country. This drawing served as the inspiration for Gerry’s painting Washington’s Tomb.