[The Magna Carta] By Permission of Trustees of the Cottonian Library decorative copy of the Magna Carta
Artifact IDTL 2026.1.30
Object Type
Temporary Loan
Date
1733
Printer
John Pine
(English, 1690 - 1756)
Place MadeLondon, England
Medium
decorative broadsheet, engraving
DimensionsOverall H 30 in x W 21 1/2 in (76.2 cm x 54.6 cm )
Physical DescriptionBy Permission of Trustees of the Cottonian Library
decorative copy of the Magna Carta
(London: John Pine [engraver], 1733).
decorative copy of the Magna Carta
(London: John Pine [engraver], 1733).
Historical NoteThis 1733 copperplate engraving by John Pine is a celebrated historical facsimile of the 1215 Magna Carta. Produced from an original manuscript in the Cottonian Library prior to its partial destruction in a 1731 fire, the print replicates the medieval Latin text. The central charter is framed by hand-colored coats of arms representing the 25 barons appointed to enforce the document against King John. A depiction of the King's damaged Great Seal sits at the base. This artifact highlights 18th-century antiquarian printmaking and preserves the visual legacy of a foundational constitutional text establishing that the monarch is subject to the rule of law.
Additional DetailsCredit Lineon loan courtesy of the David M. Rubenstein Americana Collection
National Archives Catalog CollectionJohn F. Kennedy Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 1676934)
National Archives Catalog SeriesPolitical Memorabilia (National Archives Identifier 1677287)
Use Restriction StatusRestricted - FullyUse Restriction NoteThe use of this image and document information is fully restricted. Reproduction in any manner is not allowed.Not on view