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Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) was an American painter and naturalist, best known for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution. He was a soldier during the American Revolution and served in the Pennsylvania militia, fighting in the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. Peale's portraits of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and other famous Americans are displayed in several prominent museums and galleries across the country. Thomas Jefferson and Peale were friends who shared a passion for natural history, science, exploration, and the future. Peale's portrait of Jefferson, painted in 1791, is currently on view at the National Portrait Gallery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the painter | Charles Willson Peale |
| Known for | Portraiture, founding the first major museum in the United States |
| Thomas Jefferson's relation with the painter | Friends, shared interests in natural history, science, exploration |
| Year of painting Thomas Jefferson's portrait | 1791 |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Current location of the painting | National Portrait Gallery |
| Other famous portraits | George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams |
| Total number of portraits painted | 1,100 |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Jefferson and Charles Willson Peale were friends
Peale and Jefferson shared an enthusiasm for natural history, science, exploration, and the future. Peale was a soldier in the American Revolution and became one of the most gifted artists of early America. He pursued a military career during the American Revolution and served as a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly. After retiring from politics in 1780, he dedicated himself to his art and his interest in natural history.
In 1775, Peale moved to Philadelphia, where he became an active participant in and artist of the American Revolution. During the war, he served in the Pennsylvania militia and fought at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. He earned portrait commissions from several Revolutionary leaders, including Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson and Peale became frequent correspondents, and Peale also painted a portrait of Jefferson's grandson, Thomas Jefferson Randolph, as a gift for Jefferson.
Peale founded the first major museum in the United States, which became America's first popular museum of natural science and art. He was a man of many talents, studying painting in London and pursuing careers in the military and politics before dedicating himself to art. Peale's portraits of Jefferson and other famous Americans are displayed in prominent art galleries and museums, including the National Portrait Gallery, the National Gallery of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Peale's 1791 portrait of Jefferson
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) was a talented portraitist, soldier in the American Revolution, naturalist, and museum curator. He is best known for his depictions of famous Americans, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. Peale's 1791 portrait of Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson is a notable example of his work.
The 1791 portrait of Jefferson is an oil-on-canvas painting, currently held in the Independence National Historical Park Collection in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is on view at the National Portrait Gallery as part of the "Presidents in Waiting" exhibition. The painting depicts Jefferson at fifty years old, but he appears younger, perhaps evoking Peale's memory of the Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress.
Jefferson and Peale were friends who shared interests in natural history, science, and exploration. They also had a correspondence, and Jefferson sat for Peale multiple times. Peale's portrait of Jefferson is one of many he painted of prominent revolutionaries, diplomats, and other significant figures.
Peale's museum, which he opened in Philadelphia in 1782, became America's first popular museum of natural science and art. It was comparable to the Smithsonian Institution in its time. Peale's success as an artist and curator is tied to his slave ownership, which should be acknowledged as part of his legacy. He benefitted from the labour and artistry of enslaved workers, such as Lucy and Scarborough, and he also painted other wealthy slave owners.
Overall, Peale's 1791 portrait of Jefferson is an important work by a significant early American artist. It captures the likeness of a well-known figure in American history and contributes to our understanding of Jefferson's life and the historical context of the time.
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Peale's artistic style
Charles Willson Peale is remembered as one of early America's most talented artists, particularly celebrated for his monumental portraits of George Washington and other figures from the Revolutionary War era. Peale's artistic style was heavily influenced by his interest in natural history, which he combined with his artistic pursuits to create America's first museum of natural science and art.
In addition to his artistic pursuits, Peale played an active role in the American Revolution, serving in the Pennsylvania militia and fostering close relationships with Revolutionary leaders. He was also a slave owner, a part of his legacy that has often been obscured by his artistic fame and talent. Peale's slave ownership, however, was integral to his success as an artist, as he benefited from the labour and artistry of enslaved individuals in his household and studio.
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Peale's legacy and slave ownership
Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827) was an American painter, military officer, scientist, naturalist, artist, patriot, inventor, and curator. He is best remembered for his portraits of George Washington and other Revolutionary War–era figures, and for opening America's first natural history and art museums in Baltimore and Philadelphia. Peale also served in the Pennsylvania Militia and the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and later served in the Pennsylvania State Assembly from 1779 to 1780.
Peale's legacy is that of a talented portraitist and innovative museum curator. He founded the Philadelphia Museum in 1784, one of the first American museums, which later became the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Peale's portraits of leading American figures of the late 18th century are some of the most recognisable and prominent from that era.
However, Peale's success as an artist and naturalist is tied to his slave ownership. He owned slaves such as Lucy, Scarborough, and Moses Williams, whose labour and artistry he benefited from. Williams, for example, learned taxidermy, animal husbandry, and object display from Peale, and earned his freedom early thanks to his talent as a silhouette-maker. Peale also made a name for himself by painting other wealthy slave owners, including Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison.
Peale's slave ownership has long been obscured by his fame and talent. Although he supported anti-slavery legislation and expressed a distaste for human bondage, he was a slave owner for many years and benefited from the labour and artistry of enslaved people.
In conclusion, while Peale's artistic and curatorial achievements are significant, it is important to also acknowledge and address the role that slave ownership played in his success and legacy.
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Peale's other works
Charles Willson Peale is best remembered for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. He also painted portraits of his family members, including his sons Raphaelle and Titian, in a piece titled The Staircase Group (1795). Peale's talent for portraiture is said to have convinced George Washington to doff his hat to the boys in the painting.
In addition to his work as a portraitist, Peale was also a naturalist and the founder of the first major museum in the United States, located in Philadelphia. The museum, which later became the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, displayed a unique combination of Peale's paintings, gadgets, minerals, and stuffed animals. One of its most celebrated exhibits was the first complete skeleton of an American mastodon, unearthed in 1801 on a New York farm. Peale, who accompanied the archaeological expedition, documented the process in his painting Exhuming the Mastodon (1806).
Peale's museum also entered him into a debate between Thomas Jefferson and Comte de Buffon. Buffon argued that Europe was biologically superior to the Americas, using the size of animals found there as evidence. Jefferson countered that the existence of "mammoths" in North America proved greater biodiversity on the continent. Peale's display of these bones drew attention from Europe, as did his method of reassembling large skeletal specimens in three dimensions.
Peale was also a soldier in the American Revolution, serving in the Pennsylvania Militia and the Continental Army. He participated in several military campaigns and fought at the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. After the war, he continued his military career, serving in the Pennsylvania State Assembly from 1779 to 1780.
Peale's other notable works include:
- Zebulon Pike, oil on canvas, 1808
- George Washington at Princeton, 1779
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Charles Willson Peale painted portraits of Thomas Jefferson. Peale is known for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution, including Thomas Jefferson.
Charles Willson Peale painted Thomas Jefferson's portrait in 1791.
Yes, Charles Willson Peale painted portraits of several other famous Americans, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams.
Charles Willson Peale is known for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution and as the founder of the first major museum in the United States. He is considered one of the most gifted early American artists.
