About Item:

On March 5th, 1770, a conflict between local citizens and members of the British military led to the deaths of five American colonists. Revere and other Sons of Liberty wanted to use the event to gather support for their resistance movement, so he engraved this image portraying what he titled the “Bloody Massacre.” Revere did not create the original image, rather he copied one created by Henry Pelham, another engraver.

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Glossary Terms:

• Hallow’d—hallowed, or sacred
• Rancour—bitterness or resentment

Photograph © 2024 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Paul Revere, Jr., American, 1734–1818 The Boston Massacre, 1770 Engraving, hand colored Framed: 40.6 x 36.5 x 3.2 cm (16 x 14 3/8 x 1 1/4 in.) Sheet: 25.1 x 21.6 cm (9 7/8 x 8 1/2 in.) Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Gift of Miss Margaret A. Revere, Miss Anna P. Revere, Mr. Paul Revere and Mr. John Revere Chapin 62.506