The Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga, New York, October 17th, 1777

This print, based on the large 1821 painting by John Trumbull (1756-1843) displayed in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C. since 1826, depicts the surrender of the British Army following their defeat by superior American military forces in the Saratoga (New York) campaign of 1777, which marked a turning point in the American Revolutionary War. This print, as in the painting, depicts the British General John Burgoyne preparing to surrender his sword to General Horatio Gates, who stands in his dress uniform at the center of the image. Gates, out of respect for the British general, refuses to take the sword and instead makes a gesture of hospitality as he directs Burgoyne towards the tent flying the American flag, where refreshment awaits. American officers gather to witness the event; those at the right stand beside an inactive (silent) cannon in front of the tent. Extending into the central background is Burgoyne's army along with its German reinforcements. The scene suggests peace rather than the hostile combat that preceded it.

Nathaniel Currier, whose successful New York-based lithography firm began in 1835, produced thousands of hand-colored prints in various sizes that together create a vivid panorama of mid-to-late nineteenth century American life and its history. People eagerly acquired such lithographs featuring picturesque scenery, rural and city views, ships, railroads, portraits, hunting and fishing scenes, domestic life and numerous other subjects, as an inexpensive way to decorate their homes or business establishments. As the firm expanded, Nathaniel included his younger brother Charles in the business. In 1857, James Merritt Ives (the firm's accountant since 1852 and Charles's brother-in-law) was made a business partner; subsequently renamed Currier & Ives, the firm continued until 1907. The firm provided many lithographs picturing aspects of American history, including images of key events, such as this one, that resulted in the birth of the United States as a nation.