contemporary Revolutionary War carving
Haym Salomon and George Washington
Marshall Rumbaugh (b. 1948)
2022
carved and painted lindenwood
Ht. 30 ½”, W. 35”, D. 6 5/8”
Signed and dated “Marshall D. Rumbaugh 2022”
$15,000
Artist Statement:
Haym Salomon was a Polish-born Jewish businessman who was a prime financier of the American side during the Revolutionary War. In 1775 he immigrated to New York, where in 1776 he joined the Sons of Liberty. He was imprisoned twice by the British before escaping to Philadelphia where he raised large sums of money to supply George Washington’s army and to personally support individual members of the Continental Congress.
Most notably, in 1781 as Washington was preparing for the Battle of Yorktown, there was no money to pay the soldiers who were near mutiny. Washington said, “Send for Haym Salomon!” Salomon raised $20,000 in coin, the soldiers were paid, and the Continental Army won the decisive battle. Salomon was never repaid the loans he made and died in debt at the age of 44 in 1785.