(French, 1746-1816)

Le Major Robert Roger Commander en Chief les Troupes Indiennes a service des Américains, 1775-1781, after a portrait by Claude-Louis Desrais (1746-1816), Pierre Adrien Le Beau (1748-1804, engraver, plate 7-1/2 x 5 in., sheet 11-3/4 x 8-3/8 in.

Provenance: Resser-Thorner, Manchester, New Hampshire, purchased in 2020 for $1,100 (see copy of receipt); Private New England Collection

Note: The subject of this portrait, Robert Rogers, raised a unit of soldiers fittingly called Roger’s Rangers to fight for the British in the French & Indian War. This unit is considered to be the forerunner of the modern-day United States Army Rangers and Roger’s manual on asymmetrical warfare, “The 28 Rules of Ranging,” is still provided to Army Rangers upon their graduation from training.

This is part of a series of portraits of American revolutionary officers, published in Paris during the 1770s by partners Jacques Esnault (1739-1812, also written Esnauts) and Michel Rapilly (1740-1797?), whose shop was located at no. 259 rue Saint Jacques. Each portrait uses the same cartouche with a shield, cannon, and banner, some laterally reversed.