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Secondary sourcePainting

Engraved Portrait of John Adams Published by Thomas McLean

W.D., after H.P. Briggs

A lithograph portrait of John Adams based on a painting by H. P. Briggs, made possibly after his lifetime.

This later lithograph reproduces a painted likeness of Adams, showing his continued fame after his death.

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Lithograph portrait of a man in a full-bottomed wig and dark legal-style gown with white bands at the throat, shown from the waist up, turned slightly to his left. Signature 'John Adams' below, with publisher line 'Published by Thos. McLean, 26 Haymarket' and artist credits 'H.P. Briggs Esq. R.A. Pinx' and 'W.D. Litho.'
Engraved portrait of John Adams, after H.P. Briggs, lithograph by W.D., published by Thomas McLean. Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.

About this source

What it is

This is a lithographed portrait of John Adams, created by the engraver identified as W.D. after a painting by H. P. Briggs, and published by Thomas McLean. It is held by the Catholic University of Leuven. The exact date is unclear, so it may have been made some time after Adams's death.

Why it matters

This print shows how artists and publishers continued to reproduce portraits of Adams for sale long after his lifetime, spreading his image across Europe. It reflects the posthumous reputation of Adams as a founding figure of the United States, filtered through later artists like Briggs and printmakers like W.D.

Look closer

  • What clues in the image suggest it may have been made after Adams's lifetime?
  • Why would a publisher in London choose to print and sell a portrait of an American president?
  • How does relying on an earlier painting change the reliability of this image as a record of Adams's appearance?

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

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