The first spadeful – Antique Wall Art
(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
This rare historic drawing captures The first spadeful in remarkable detail. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.
The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. It makes a striking addition to a living room, study or office, and a thoughtful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.
The first spadeful
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Few pictures on this board show Roosevelt wielding a spade, which sets this pen-and-ink drawing apart: it casts the president as the man breaking ground on a canal. Its title, *The first spadeful*, is paired with a small figure on a hill raising a flag for a new treaty, most likely the Hay-Herran agreement of 1903 between the United States and Colombia over rights to build across the Isthmus of Panama. Colombia's Senate rejected that treaty later the same year, and Panama declared independence in November with American support, so the drawing captures a hopeful moment that soon turned. It was published in *A World Worthwhile* by Harper & Brothers, and its date is given only as a tentative 1903.
| Medium | 1 drawing : pen and ink. |
|---|---|
| Genre | while small man on hill raises flag new treaty." Probably in reference to Hay-Herran canal treaty of 1903. Accession no. DLC/PP-1932:0042. Published in: A World worthwhile. New York : Harper & Bros. |
| Notes | [1903?] |
| Subjects | Roosevelt, Theodore,--1858-1919. Digging. Treaties.United States.Colombia--Bogota. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division |
| Original scan | 4,692 × 3,742 px · prints to 16 × 12 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | AMZ-SOTP-HPA-221009 |
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