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Primary sourcePainting1776

Colonel Arnold

Thomas Hart · 1776

A 1776 London mezzotint portrait of Benedict Arnold as 'Colonel Arnold,' celebrated for leading troops against Quebec and being wounded in the attack.

This early portrait shows Arnold honoured as a wounded hero of Quebec, before his later betrayal of the American cause.

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Black-and-white mezzotint portrait of a man in an 18th-century military uniform with a tricorn hat, standing before a dark wooded background and a town view on the left, gesturing with one hand. Caption text is printed below.
Thomas Hart, Colonel Arnold, 1776. Mezzotint, London.

About this source

What it is

This black-and-white mezzotint, published in London in 1776 by Thomas Hart, portrays Benedict Arnold as a colonel who commanded provincial troops sent against Quebec through the Canadian wilderness and was wounded storming the city under General Montgomery.

Why it matters

This is one of the earliest known portraits of Arnold, made while he was still regarded as a heroic Patriot officer, years before he became infamous for betraying the American cause. It shows how his public image changed dramatically over his lifetime.

Look closer

  • What does the pose and setting suggest about how the artist wanted viewers to see Arnold?
  • Why might a London printmaker in 1776 have chosen to depict an American officer this way?
  • What does this portrait leave out about Arnold's later actions?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Benedict Arnold on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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