Coinciding with the 1996 meeting of the North American Print Conference, the exhibition American Allegorical Prints: Constructing an Identity seeks to mine the narrative of early American printmaking beyond the traditional subjects of historic scenes and genre studies. In this catalogue of the exhibition, Laura K. Mills draws from the Yale University Art Gallery’s impressive selection of American prints to establish a clear picture of how Americans used artistic production in order to shape a common image, ideal, and destiny in the wake of the American Revolution. In sections like “The Development of National Symbols” and “Moralizing America,” Mills analyzes not only high-end prints but also more populist illustrations that were seen throughout the United States. The ideals of individualism and democratic institutions weave throughout the selected works. The publication also includes a comprehensive exhibition checklist.