GENERAL DESCRIPTION
This document appoints John Pratt (1753-1824) to the rank of Captain in the First Regiment in the United States Army under the authority of President George Washington (1732-1799). Washington's signature appears below the typescript passage. Along with the location (Philadelphia) and date (March 4, 1792), the commission reveals American pride in the young nation by allowing space to note the number of years the nation had been independent from Great Britain. In this case, Pratt's commission came fifteen years into the country's existence. In his new position, Pratt moved to Middletown, Connecticut, and oversaw recruitment efforts.
The left side of the page shows the seal of the United States War Office. It was created in 1778 during the Revolutionary War and remained unchanged until 1947 when it became the Department of the Army Seal. Symbols on the seal include a Roman cuirass, various weapons, a Phrygian cap, flags, and a rattlesnake holding a scroll with the motto, "This We'll Defend."
Source
"Department of the Army Emblem," US Army Center of Military History, 25 February 2000, http://www.history.army.mil/reference/Heritage/Emblem.htm. Accessed 2 February 2015.
NOTES
No provenance or exhibition history entered for the object because I could not verify if its history matched that of Earl's Captain John Pratt (1792). COPIED PROVENANCE FROM PORTRAIT
Update 3/1/2017- i am removing the routed tag and adding the completed tag because the archival assets are not yet in Piction. The %UMOpending tag will remain on this note until I can find and catalog the relevant assets.
Catalogue essays specific to object
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Produced- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Depicted- Middletown, Connecticut (where Pratt relocated after his appointment)
Process/materials
- ink
- letterpress copy
- paper
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
cuirasses
seal
symbol
signature
Commission (military)
Certificate
RELATED OBJECTS
1990.146.2- Ralph Earl, Captain John Pratt, 1792.
PROVENANCE
1792- d.1824: Captain John Pratt (1753-1824)
From 1824: James T. Pratt, son of John Pratt, by descent [1]
n.d.: James T. Pratt Jr., by descent [1]
n.d.: James T. Pratt III, by descent [1]
By 1984: Moss Collection, Chicago, IL [2]
From 1990: Dallas Museum of Art, purchased from a private collector, Chicago, through Christie's New York
Notes:
This provenance comes from Ralph Earl's "Captain John Pratt" (Dallas Museum of Art, 1990.146.1). Both objects and a collection of related military papers were auctioned as a lot, thus their ownership histories likely match.
[1] No life dates in object file. List of descendants published in Christie's catalogue, May 1987, no. 10, page 22.
[2] The Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife: Annual Proceedings, June 16 and 17, 1984, "Itinerancy in New England," Appendix I, page 188, no. 24.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
WEB RESOURCES
- Military History of John Pratt (10/12/1753 - 12/27/1824)~Review a timeline of Captain Pratt's military service on The State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania's website.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
Papers Related to Captain Pratt (handwritten list located in object file). List of 18 items included in the object draft for 1990.146.1.
FUN FACTS
- This certificate appears in the foreground of the portrait of Captain John Pratt (1753-1824) by Ralph Earl. (1990.146.1) Painted the year following Pratt's promotion to captain, the full-length portrait uses the commission paper as both an identifying feature and an object of great pride for the sitter.
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1990.146.2
Category
rules_operator
AND
General Description
This document appoints John Pratt (1753-1824) to the rank of Captain in the First Regiment in the United States Army under the authority of President George Washington (1732-1799). Washington's signature appears below the typescript passage. Along with the location (Philadelphia) and date (March 4, 1792), the commission reveals American pride in the young nation by allowing space to note the number of years the nation had been independent from Great Britain. In this case, Pratt's commission came fifteen years into the country's existence. In his new position, Pratt moved to Middletown, Connecticut, and oversaw recruitment efforts.
The left side of the page shows the seal of the United States War Office. It was created in 1778 during the Revolutionary War and remained unchanged until 1947 when it became the Department of the Army Seal. Symbols on the seal include a Roman cuirass, various weapons, a Phrygian cap, flags, and a rattlesnake holding a scroll with the motto, "This We'll Defend."
Source
"Department of the Army Emblem," US Army Center of Military History, 25 February 2000, http://www.history.army.mil/reference/Heritage/Emblem.htm. Accessed 2 February 2015.
Fun Facts
- This certificate appears in the foreground of the portrait of Captain John Pratt (1753-1824) by Ralph Earl. (1990.146.1) Painted the year following Pratt's promotion to captain, the full-length portrait uses the commission paper as both an identifying feature and an object of great pride for the sitter.
Archival Resources
Papers Related to Captain Pratt (handwritten list located in object file). List of 18 items included in the object draft for 1990.146.1.
Web Resources
- Military History of John Pratt (10/12/1753 - 12/27/1824)~Review a timeline of Captain Pratt's military service on The State Society of the Cincinnati of Pennsylvania's website.
Notes
No provenance or exhibition history entered for the object because I could not verify if its history matched that of Earl's Captain John Pratt (1792). COPIED PROVENANCE FROM PORTRAIT
Update 3/1/2017- i am removing the routed tag and adding the completed tag because the archival assets are not yet in Piction. The %UMOpending tag will remain on this note until I can find and catalog the relevant assets.
Catalogue essays specific to object
Artist/designers
Cultures
Geography
Produced- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Depicted- Middletown, Connecticut (where Pratt relocated after his appointment)
Process/materials
- ink
- letterpress copy
- paper
Historical periods
Individuals
Subject terms
cuirasses
seal
symbol
signature
Commission (military)
Certificate
RELATED OBJECTS
1990.146.2- Ralph Earl, Captain John Pratt, 1792.
PROVENANCE
1792- d.1824: Captain John Pratt (1753-1824)
From 1824: James T. Pratt, son of John Pratt, by descent [1]
n.d.: James T. Pratt Jr., by descent [1]
n.d.: James T. Pratt III, by descent [1]
By 1984: Moss Collection, Chicago, IL [2]
From 1990: Dallas Museum of Art, purchased from a private collector, Chicago, through Christie's New York
Notes:
This provenance comes from Ralph Earl's "Captain John Pratt" (Dallas Museum of Art, 1990.146.1). Both objects and a collection of related military papers were auctioned as a lot, thus their ownership histories likely match.
[1] No life dates in object file. List of descendants published in Christie's catalogue, May 1987, no. 10, page 22.
[2] The Dublin Seminar for New England Folklife: Annual Proceedings, June 16 and 17, 1984, "Itinerancy in New England," Appendix I, page 188, no. 24.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1990.146.2
source file
object_notes_3_c-0202.xml.nores