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Primary sourcePainting1826

Simon Bolivar

A. Maurin · 1826

A French lithograph portrait of Bolívar made by A. Maurin in 1826, part of a widely copied image type created during his lifetime.

This lithograph is one of the most widely copied European portraits of Bolívar made during his lifetime.

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Black and white lithographic portrait of a man with curly hair and a mustache, shown from the chest up in three-quarter view, looking to his right. He wears a dark military coat with ornate gold embroidered braid and epaulettes, and a cloak draped over one shoulder. His hand is tucked into his coat. Printed title below reads Simon Bolivar, with a handwritten inscription and signature in the lower right margin on cream paper.
A. Maurin, Lith. de Engelmann, Simon Bolivar, 1826. Sainte-Geneviève Library.

About this source

What it is

This lithograph by A. Maurin, printed by Engelmann in 1826, is a portrait titled "Simon Bolivar." It is held at the Sainte-Geneviève Library.

Why it matters

The image belongs to a popular French portrait type of Bolívar that was copied many times, showing how European printmakers shaped the way he was seen abroad while he still led the new republics. It reflects the fascination with South American independence leaders in Europe at the time.

Look closer

  • What details of his pose and uniform make this portrait look formal or heroic?
  • Why might this particular image have been copied so often?
  • What might be missing from a portrait made far from the places Bolívar actually governed?

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

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Simón Bolívar · 1815

Black and white engraved portrait of a man in a military uniform with epaulettes and braided buttons, with short hair and a mustache, looking to his left. The caption below reads BOLIVAR. Printed on a cream sheet with the number 3 in the upper right corner.Painting

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Simón Bolívar · 15 February 1819

Black-and-white steel engraved portrait of a man with dark wavy hair and a mustache, wearing a high-collared military uniform with epaulettes and buttoned coat. Below the image are the printed title 'Bolivar' and credit lines.Painting

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Steel Engraved Portrait of Bolívar by W. Holl after M.N. Bate

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Decree of War to the Death

Simón Bolívar · 15 June 1813

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