909663 The hanging of John Brown, 19th Century (b/w engraving) by Hugo, Victor (1802-85); Private Collection; (add.info.: John Brown is condemned to hang for attempting to free slaves from Virginia in 1859. Victor Hugo addressed a letter to the United States stating the conditions in which the trial took place. Brown was still executed - Published in Cent dessins : Extraits des oeuvres de Victor Hugo; Victor Marie Hugo (1802 ??1885) was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic movement. He is considered one of the greatest and best known French writers. ); Prismatic Pictures ; French, out of copyright.