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Yorktown

Anonymous, Dutch, 18th century · 1781

A 1781 Dutch engraving related to the siege of Yorktown, the campaign where James Armistead's spying helped the American and French forces.

A Dutch print from the year of the Yorktown siege, the campaign where James Armistead's intelligence helped the American cause.

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Black and white engraving of a satirical scene. On the left, two men in tricorn hats stand by a barrel labeled with text, a cow nearby. Center-right, a canopied stage with figures dancing and a flag reading 'YORK TOWN'. Bottom right, a kneeling man and a lion, with sheep and a dog in the foreground.
Anonymous, Dutch, 18th century, Yorktown, 1781. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this source

What it is

This is an anonymous Dutch engraving from 1781, held today at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It satirizes events connected to the siege of Yorktown.

Why it matters

Yorktown was the decisive siege of the American Revolutionary War, where intelligence gathered by James Armistead Lafayette helped the American and French forces trap the British army. European audiences, including the Dutch, followed the war closely and produced satirical prints like this one to comment on the campaign. The image reminds us that the Revolutionary War was watched and discussed across the Atlantic.

Look closer

  • What symbols or figures in this print suggest it is meant to be satirical rather than a straightforward record?
  • Why might a Dutch artist have been interested in events happening in Virginia?
  • What does the existence of this print tell you about how news of Yorktown spread in 1781?

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

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Manuscript pen-and-ink and watercolor map titled 'Siege d'York 1781, Plan d'York en Virginie avec les attaques et les campemens de l'Armée combinée de France et d'Amérique.' Shows York, Virginia, with hachured relief, siege trenches and batteries, encampments, and a small inset map at upper right. A scale bar and a handwritten Nota key appear at lower left.Document

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Siege of York, 1781: Plan of Franco-American Siege Works

Querenet De La Combe · 1781

Engraving of a man's head and shoulders in a high-collared coat and cravat, above a handwritten manuscript certificate signed by Lafayette dated November 21, 1784, attesting to James's service as a spy.Document

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Certificate for James Armistead Lafayette

Marquis de Lafayette · 21 November 1784

Hand-drawn manuscript map in pen-and-ink and watercolor titled 'York en Virginie 1781' showing the York River, the town of Yorktown and siege lines, with an inset of Gloucester, French title panel and key on the right.Document

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York en Virginie, 1781: Map of Franco-American Positions at York

1781

Stippled engraving of a middle-aged man with short gray hair, wearing a dark high-collared coat with buttons and a white cravat, against a speckled beige background. A small dark spot appears at lower left.Painting

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Portrait of James Armistead Lafayette

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Hand-drawn 1781 manuscript map titled Campagne en Virginie, showing rivers, roads, county names and military camp routes across Virginia from Orange County south to Isle of Wight County, with a Chesapeake-area coastline at right.Document

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Campaign of the Marquis de Lafayette in Virginia, 1781

Michel Capitaine Du Chesnoy · 1781

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