Who painted The Mitred Minuet?

The Mitred Minuet was painted by Paul Revere in 1774.

Where can I see The Mitred Minuet?

The Mitred Minuet is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Mitred Minuet?

The Mitred Minuet is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of The Mitred Minuet?

Museum-quality prints of The Mitred Minuet are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Mitred Minuet

Paul Revere , 1774

The Mitred Minuet is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Paul Revere. It dates from 1774 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right support in graphite by unknown hand: 25 00; upper right verso support in graphite by unknown hand: 6 / $18 00 text in plate: No XV. / Engraved for Royal American Magazine. / Vol. I / Sold by Fellowes / The Mitred Minuet. / P Revere Sc.

About this work

Overview

Paul Revere’s 1774 print, titled The Mitred Minuet, is an engraving executed on wove paper that has been mounted to a second sheet of the same material. The work presents a crowded interior scene populated by several male figures, each distinguished by distinctive headgear and posture, set against a plain architectural backdrop of doors and windows.

Subject & Meaning

The composition juxtaposes three men in feathered caps brandishing sticks on the left, three figures in tall mitred hats clutching a document labeled “Quebec Bill” in the centre, and two well‑dressed observers on the right who appear displeased. The mitred hats reference ecclesiastical authority, suggesting a satirical commentary on contemporary political and religious power structures.

Technique & Style

Revere employed fine, incised lines and cross‑hatching to render facial expressions and the sense of movement among the figures, a demanding approach for eighteenth‑century engraving. The contrast between sharply delineated foreground characters and the relatively flat background enhances the tension of the scene.

History & Provenance

Created in the year preceding the American Revolution, the print reflects the charged political atmosphere of colonial Boston. It remains attributed to Revere, who was active as an engraver before his more famous role as a patriot messenger, and is documented in several early American print collections.