Clark, Jonathan - COLOR PRINTED BROADSIDE: The First Great Western Empire: or, the United States of America Albany [NY], Printed By and For the Author, 1812, folio as issued. A number of woodcut illustrations of the presidents and symbols. First Edition. Rare. S & S # 25079; OCLC cites 4 loc's.. A very good copy; some separation along folds; color oxidized (?).

A superb color printed provincial American broadside ( appx. 16 x 21 inches ) issued in order to inspire and arouse American patriotism. The broadside is illustrated with four woodcut portraits of presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison. It is also adorned with additional cuts of an American eagle, and embellished with vignettes and roundels. What is most unusual and appealing about the broadside is the color printed background and iconography chosen by Clark: the patriotic texts of Dwight's poem Columbia is mirrored by excerpts from Washington and Marshall that serve to bracket an original contribution ( by Clark ?) celebrating the Louisiana Purchase in an elaborate typographical display. This text sits beneath the ' Temple of Freedom and Independence ' enshrining the constitution. The overall composition is an original and startling depiction of American patriotic sensibility in an era of rising tension. War with Britain and across the western frontier was just six months away. The color (originally green according to the cat. entry for the NY Hist.Soc.) seems to have oxidized to a tawny yellow. The uniform nature of the color in this copy, however, would argue for the original use of a yellow pigment as opposed to green. The biography of the author remains unknown though the imprint suggests he was a printer (?). An exceptional American broadside of the post colonial period.

$8750.