Declaration of Independence Oil Portrait After Jean Leon Gerome Ferris
Anna Richards (20th Century)
Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson Drafting the Declaration of Independence, c.1970
Signed Historical Americana Oil on Canvas After Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris
Highlights
• Signed oil painting on canvas by Anna Richards.
• Believed to date from the 1970s.
• Inspired by the historical compositions of Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris.
• Portrays Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson during the preparation of the Declaration of Independence.
• Finely staged interior filled with symbolic manuscripts, scholarly furnishings and a terrestrial globe.
• Previously part of a private collection in the United States.
• Recently presented in an elegant moulded gilt frame.
• Fitted with protective museum-quality AR99 Artglass.
• A striking acquisition for an Americana collection, study, library or traditional interior.
Introduction
An atmospheric historical oil on canvas by the 20th-century painter Anna Richards, portraying Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson during the preparation of the United States Declaration of Independence.
Signed at the lower right and believed to have been painted during the 1970s, the composition draws upon the romantic historical tradition associated with Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris. The three statesmen are shown within a richly furnished colonial interior, surrounded by manuscripts and symbolic objects that allude to political thought, scholarship and the international consequences of their work.
The painting is especially successful in combining an immediately recognisable American subject with warmth, colour and traditional decorative appeal. Its carefully orchestrated figures and theatrical interior create a strong sense of narrative, inviting the viewer into one of the defining episodes of modern political history.
Formerly in a private American collection, the work has been recently framed in gilt and fitted with museum-quality protective Artglass, creating an elegant presentation suitable for immediate display.
Catalogue Details
Artist: Anna Richards
Artist’s Dates: 20th century
Title: Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson Drafting the Declaration of Independence
Date: Circa 1970s
Medium: Oil on canvas
Signature: Signed Anna Richards lower right
Genre: Historical narrative painting
Subject: The preparation of the United States Declaration of Independence
After: Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris
Frame: Recently fitted moulded gilt frame
Glazing: Museum-quality AR99 Artglass providing high-level UV protection
Status: Ready for immediate display
Catalogue Note
Richards has constructed the scene around the contrasting personalities and historical roles of the three principal figures.
At the left, Benjamin Franklin sits in quiet contemplation, studying the manuscript with an air of wisdom and restraint. His thoughtful demeanour reflects his position as an experienced diplomat, scientist and influential advocate of Enlightenment principles.
John Adams is seated prominently at the centre. His vivid crimson clothing forms the visual heart of the composition and contrasts handsomely with the surrounding brown and golden tones. His alert posture conveys the energy of discussion and the collaborative process through which the document was refined.
Thomas Jefferson stands at the right holding manuscript sheets and a quill. His elevated position and direct association with the written pages acknowledge his central responsibility for composing the Declaration’s original draft.
Throughout the interior, Richards has introduced objects that deepen the painting’s narrative. The terrestrial globe symbolises exploration, learning and the international significance of the events taking place. Manuscript papers refer to authorship and political debate, while the cabinetry, portraits and architectural details establish a suitably scholarly colonial environment.
The artist’s aim is clearly interpretative rather than documentary. Historical accuracy is balanced with theatrical presentation, allowing the scene to communicate intellectual importance and patriotic sentiment through a warm, accessible visual language.
The Historical Subject
The Declaration of Independence emerged from a period of rapidly escalating political conflict between the thirteen American colonies and Great Britain.
In June 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a committee to prepare a declaration formally explaining the colonies’ decision to seek independence. Its members were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston.
Jefferson was selected to prepare the principal draft. Adams and Franklin subsequently reviewed the text and proposed revisions before it was submitted to Congress for further debate and amendment.
The Declaration was formally adopted on 4 July 1776. Its adoption marked the political birth of the United States of America and established principles of liberty, equality and representative government that would influence political movements throughout the world.
Later artists frequently approached the event through idealised imagery. Rather than attempting an exact reconstruction, they used historic costume, symbolic furnishings and dramatic figure arrangements to communicate the intellectual and emotional importance of the occasion.
Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris
Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris (1863–1930) was a prominent American historical painter celebrated for his ambitious visual chronicle of the nation’s development.
The son of portrait painter Stephen James Ferris, he received artistic training at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and later studied in Europe. His middle names honoured the distinguished French academic artist Jean-Léon Gérôme, under whom his father had studied.
Ferris became particularly associated with imaginative scenes from colonial and revolutionary America. His compositions combined period dress, architectural detail and dramatic storytelling, creating images that were both educational and visually engaging.
Although romanticised rather than strictly documentary, Ferris’s paintings became deeply embedded within American popular culture through widespread reproduction. They continue to influence how many defining episodes of early American history are visualised.
The present work is a later painted interpretation after that tradition, retaining the recognisable historical subject while displaying the individual hand and decorative approach of Anna Richards.
The Artist
Anna Richards is identified through the signature appearing at the lower-right corner of the canvas.
No definitive published biography has currently been located for this particular painter, and the catalogue entry therefore avoids unsupported conclusions concerning the artist’s nationality, training or professional career.
The painting nevertheless reveals a capable understanding of narrative composition. Richards has successfully balanced three principal figures within a complex interior while maintaining clarity of subject and a convincing sense of historical atmosphere.
Her use of warm colour, contrasting costume and carefully selected symbolic objects demonstrates an appreciation for the decorative and emotional qualities of historical Americana.
As a signed, hand-painted interpretation after Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris, the work possesses an individual character distinct from commercially printed reproductions of the subject.
Provenance
From a private American collection.
Originally acquired through an art dealer based in Wakefield, Massachusetts, United States of America.
Subsequently curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.
The work’s American collection history and later British presentation offer an appealing transatlantic provenance particularly suited to its subject.
Dimensions
Canvas Size:
61 cm wide × 51 cm high
Framed Size:
78 cm wide × 68 cm high × 3 cm deep
The painting is sufficiently substantial to command attention while remaining adaptable to a wide variety of domestic, professional and collection settings.
Condition Report
The painting is presented in good vintage decorative condition.
Its colours remain warm and visually effective, and the principal figures and interior details retain an attractive overall appearance. As expected for a vintage painting, the surface displays evidence of age and previous handling.
Observed condition points include scuffs, scratches, varnish streaks and abrasions, localised surface marks and several small areas of paint loss. There is also rubbing within portions of the darker paintwork, together with craquelure and areas of accumulated surface dirt.
These imperfections contribute to the work’s age-related character and are most evident when examined closely. They do not substantially interfere with the readability or decorative impact of the composition.
The canvas currently appears stable and structurally sound. The recently fitted gilt frame presents attractively, with possible minor handmade variations, rubbing and handling marks. Museum-quality AR99 Artglass has been installed to protect the painted surface and provide high-level UV protection.
The painting is ready for hanging.
Please examine all photographs, as they form an integral part of the condition report. Further images and information can be supplied upon request.
Shipping
Worldwide shipping is available.
Every work is professionally packed using materials appropriate to its size, medium and construction. Delivery is fully insured for transit, with careful attention given to the protection of the frame, glazing and painted surface.
Please contact us for a tailored international shipping quotation or to discuss collection and delivery arrangements.
Attribution & Research Notice
This painting has been researched and catalogued in good faith using its visible signature, stylistic characteristics, provenance information, historical subject and relevant comparative material.
The attribution to Anna Richards is based on the signature appearing on the canvas. The dating to circa 1970s is an informed assessment based upon the painting’s style, materials and known history.
The work is described as “after Jean-Léon Gérôme Ferris” because its subject and composition derive from the established visual tradition associated with Ferris. It is not represented as an original painting by Ferris.
All catalogue conclusions express our considered professional opinion based upon the evidence currently available and may be refined should further documentary information emerge.
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Specialising in carefully curated British and European fine art, antiques and historic works of art. Every artwork is professionally researched and catalogued using comparative scholarship, published reference material and more than two decades of experience within the international fine art market.
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