Russell's American Almanack for the Year of our Redemption, 1790

About this artwork

This small portrait—the only known image of Ethan Allen made during his lifetime—scarcely hints at the larger-than-life persona that made him a force to be reckoned with. Outraged by a court decision that would have stripped frontiersmen of land they were settling in the Green Mountains (now in Vermont), Allen spearheaded a campaign of resistance and intimidation. Emboldened by his successful attack on Fort Ticonderoga in May 1775, he made an impulsive attempt to seize Montreal four months later...

Art Historical Context

Nestled within the pages of *Russell American Almanack for the of our Redemption, 0*, this rare print offers the only known portrait of Ethan Allen created during his lifetime. Produced around 1779 as a woodcut or engraving typical of colonial almanacs, the small-scale image captures Allen in a modest cartouche—a decorative oval frame often used in prints to highlight portraits or maps—adorned with details like his signature hat and perhaps a musical instrument, evoking the era's blend of practicality and symbolism. Almanacs like this were everyday essentials, blending calendars, weather forecasts, and patriotic vignettes to inform and inspire frontier readers. Ethan Allen, the fiery leader of the Green Mountain Boys, embodied Revolutionary fervor. Outraged by land disputes in Vermont's Green Mountains, he orchestrated armed resistance, famously capturing Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 before his bold—but failed—raid on Montreal led to over two years of British imprisonment. This almanac features an excerpt from his scathing prison memoir, amplifying his voice as a writer, officer, and land speculator. Though his push for Vermont's statehood faltered, Allen's larger-than-life legacy as a Patriot endures, making this unassuming print a precious window into early American heroism and print culture.