About this 1862 Original Artist Proof
The artist proof is the first strike of the engraving and is the most perfect piece. The William E. Marshall artist proof was printed on a 16 x 22 sheet of what was called at India paper the only acid free paper of the time and was used for his proof strike. It was then mounted on a 22 x 28 sheet of thicker stock with a debossed border and signed "Artist Proof William E. Marshall".
The portraits available for purchase on this site are a limited printing of only 2,400 from the "original signed artist proof." A special die was made to deboss the border of the museum quality archival stock that the portraits are printed on, in keeping with the original, and were done by a company that does work for the National Gallery in Washington,DC.
Historical Significance
This William E. Marshall 1862 Presidential Portrait of George Washington is the finest steel engraved portrait ever done. It is the Presidential Portrait of George Washington that hung in the President's Theatre Box at Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC, the night that Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 14th, 1865 at 10:15 PM by John Wilkes Booth.
The National Geographic Film "Killing Lincoln" based on Bill O'Rielly's new book features our print from this "original signed artist proof." The picture above of the President's Theatre Box was taken on the set of "Killing Lincoln." killinglincoln.nationalgeographic.com
