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Primary sourcePaintingc. 1792

Portrait of Thomas Paine by Laurent Dabos

Laurent Dabos · c. 1792

An oil portrait of Thomas Paine painted around 1792 during his lifetime, made for use as an engraving.

This lifetime portrait of Paine was made for engraving, showing how his image circulated publicly.

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Oval-framed oil portrait of a man with grey hair, wearing a black coat and white cravat, seated in front of a green upholstered chair with carved wooden trim. Dark brown background.
Laurent Dabos, Portrait of Thomas Paine, c. 1792.

About this source

What it is

This is an oval oil portrait of Thomas Paine painted by Laurent Dabos around 1792. It was made for the purpose of being turned into an engraving, a common way of spreading a public figure's likeness at the time.

Why it matters

Paine was one of the most famous and controversial writers of his era, known for pamphlets that shaped revolutionary politics in America and France. A portrait made for engraving shows how his image was being circulated to the public while he was alive and at the height of his influence.

Look closer

  • What does the pose and clothing suggest about how Paine wanted to be seen, or how the artist wanted him seen?
  • Why might a portrait be made specifically to be copied as an engraving rather than just as a painting?
  • What is missing from this image that might tell us more about Paine's ideas or actions?

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

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Title page of the 1776 Philadelphia pamphlet Common Sense, addressed to the Inhabitants of America, printed by R. Bell in Third Street. Handwritten annotations include a name in the top corner and Thomas Paine's name near the bottom.Book

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Thomas Paine · 10 January 1776

Photograph of the first page of a printed 1776 pamphlet titled The American Crisis, Number I, by Thomas Paine, with handwritten annotations at the top reading 'by Thomas Paine' and 'published in the Penn. Journal' and 'June 1776'. The printed text begins 'These are the times that try men's souls.'Book

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The American Crisis

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Title page of Rights of Man, reading 'Rights of Man: Being an Answer to Mr. Burke's Attack on the French Revolution, by Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to Congress in the American War, and Author of the Work Intitled Common Sense. London: Printed for J. S. Jordan, No. 166, Fleet-Street. MDCCXCI.' Handwritten ink marks appear in the upper right corner.Book

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Rights of Man

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Title page of The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine. Text reads: 'The Age of Reason; Being an Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology. By Thomas Paine, Secretary for Foreign Affairs to Congress in the American War, and author of the works entitled Common Sense, and Rights of Man, &c. Paris: Printed by Barrois. London: Sold by D. I. Eaton, at the Cock and Swine, No. 74, Newgate-street. 1794. Price two shillings.'Book

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Scan of the engrossed Declaration of Independence on aged parchment. Heading reads 'In Congress, July 4, 1776' with the title 'The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America' below. Dense handwritten text fills the page; signatures appear at the bottom.Document

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Declaration of Independence

Continental Congress (drafted by Thomas Jefferson) · 1776

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