The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of ye 29th Regt.
PrinterPrinted by
Paul Revere
(American, 1735 - 1818)
Date1770
MediumEngraving; printer's ink and watercolor on laid paper
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (image height x width): 7 7/8 x 8 1/2in. (20 x 21.6cm)
Platemark (height x width): 10 5/8 x 9in. (27 x 22.9cm)
Sheet (height x width): 11 1/8 x 9 1/2in. (28.3 x 24.1cm)
ClassificationsGraphics
Credit LineGift of Isaac W. Plummer
Object number1840.9.7
DescriptionBritish soldiers at the right fire at a crowd at the left. Three men lie bleeding on the ground. A fourth is being carried off by his comrades. A small spotted dog is in the center foreground. The Boston State House is in the background. Commercial buildings line the street. Signs at the right reads "BUTCHER'S HALL" and "G R / CUSTOM HOUSE". A crescent moon is in the sky at the upper left.
NotesHistorical Note: On the evening of March 5, 1770, a group of citizen patriots cornered a British sentry at the door of the Custom House in Boston. When British troops arrived to rescure the soldier, they opened fire on the mob. Five civilians were killed, including the ex-slave Crispus Attucks.Paul Revere based his depiction of the Boston Massacre on an engraving by Henry Pelham. It was issued just three weeks after the massacre took place, setting a new standard for pictorial journalism in America.
Status
Not on view
