Alexander Hamilton

c. 1806

John Trumbull

Painter, American, 1756 - 1843

Shown from the chest up, a pale-skinned, clean-shaven man wearing black looks off to our left against a dark brown background in this vertical portrait painting. His shoulders are angled to our left and he gazes off with steady, dark eyes. He has low, dark brows, a bumped nose, a strong jaw, a pointed chin, and his lips curl in a slight smile. His gray hair is brushed back from his forehead and gathered loosely at the nape of his neck. The sideburn we can see is a row of gray curls angling down over the ear. A cream-white ascot is tied in a bow around his neck and tucked into the collar of his black coat. His left arm, closer to us, is by his side and his other arm is held out so it angles into the lower left corner. Light from our left creates an amber glow around his face on the otherwise dark background.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Andrew W. Mellon Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 77 x 61 cm (30 5/16 x 24 in.)
    framed: 90.5 x 75.5 x 9.5 cm (35 5/8 x 29 3/4 x 3 3/4 in.)

  • Accession

    1940.1.8

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Probably from David Hosack [1769-1835], New York, to his son, Nathaniel Pendleton Hosack [1806-1877], New York; his widow, Sophia Church Hosack [d. 1891].[1] Her niece, Mary Helen Church Gilpin;[2] by whom sold by (Stanislaus V. Henkels, Philadelphia, 15 May 1931, lot B, as by John Vanderlyn);[3] purchased by (M. Knoedler & Co., New York); sold 1 June 1931 to Andrew W. Mellon;[4] deeded 28 December 1934 to The A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, Pittsburgh; gift 1940 to NGA.
[1] Sophia Hosack is the first recorded owner of the portrait (John Durand, "John Trumbull", American Art Review 2, second division (1881): 230, note). David Hosack died without a will; the inventory of his estate (Hosack Papers, The New-York Historical Society) included twenty-two "Oil Paintings in Gilt Frames" as well as "1 Marble Bust and stand (General Hamilton)." Family tradition stated that the portrait was painted for Hosack and was inherited by his son Nathaniel, who bequeathed it to his sister Mary Hosack Harvey (Mrs. Jacob Harvey, 1800-1872), who gave it to her sister-in-law; see Stanislaus V. Henkels, Historical Sale, Portraits and Autographs, Revolutionary and other Letters. The Alexander Hamilton Family Papers, Portrait of Hamilton from Life by Vanderlyn...May 15, 1931, Philadelphia, 1931, 12, lot B, repro. Since Mrs. Harvey predeceased her brother, her ownership is uncertain. On the Hosack family descendants see Christine Chapman Robbins, David Hosack, Citizen of New York, Philadelphia, 1964: 188-194, 198.
[2] Henkels 1931, 12, stated that Sophia Hosack willed the portrait to her brother Richard Church, who in turn left it to his daughter. However, in her will (Surrogate's Court, New York, New York; copy, NGA curatorial files) Mrs. Hosack bequeathed the articles that her husband received from his father to her sister-in-law Emily Hosack Rodgers and two nieces, Mary Harvey and Rebecca Harvey. Her brother is not mentioned. His daughters Mary Helen and Angelica were each bequeathed trust funds. The will mentions a memorandum distributing other property, which may have included the portrait. The will is discussed in Robbins 1964: 190, 192.
[3] According to a letter from Stan Henkels to M. Knoedler & Co., 11 May 1931 (copy, NGA curatorial files), research completed after the publication of the auction catalogue established that the painting was by Trumbull.
[4] Letter from Melissa De Medeiros, librarian, M. Knoedler & Co., New York, 10 April 1990 (NGA curatorial files).

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1932

  • Exhibition of Portraits of George Washington and His Associates, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 1932, no. 88.

1937

  • U.S. Constitution Sesquicentennial Commission, 1937-1938.

1943

  • Thomas Jefferson Bicentennial Exhibition, 1743-1943, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1943, no. 22.

1947

  • Triennial Meeting of the Society of Cincinnati, Washington, 1947, no cat.

1948

  • American Heritage, Denver Art Museum, 1948, no. 7.

1949

  • From Colony to Nation: An Exhibition of American Painting, Silver and Architecture From 1650 to the War of 1812, Art Institute of Chicago, 1949, no. 122.

1950

  • From Plymouth Rock to the Armory, The Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach, Florida, 1950, no. 20.

  • Makers of History in Washington 1800-1950 [An Exhibition Celebrating the Sesquicentennial of the Establishment of the Federal Government in Washington], National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1950, no. 4, repro.

  • The Face of American History, Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina, 1950, no. 20.

1951

  • American Portraits From the National Gallery of Art, High Museum of Art, 1951, no. 17 (organized by the Atlanta Art Association).

  • They Gave Us Freedom, Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary, 1951, no. 63.

1952

  • [Opening exhibition], Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1952, no. cat.

  • Opening Exhibition of The George Thomas Hunter Gallery of Art, Chattanooga Art Association, Tennessee, 1952, unnumbered.

  • [Opening exhibition of new art gallery], Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1952-1953, no cat.

1957

  • Alexander Hamilton Bicentennial Exhibition, U.S. Department of Treasury, Washington, D.C., 1957-1958.

1966

  • Paintings by American Masters, Art Center, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 1966, no. 7.

1969

  • Art in Miniature [International Philatelic Exhibition in conjunction with San Diego's 200th Anniversary], San Diego Community Concourse; Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego, 1969, no cat.

1975

  • The Face of Liberty, Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Fort Worth, 1975-1976, 142, pl. 38.

1987

  • The American Solution: The Origins of the United States Constitution, Library of Congress, Washington, 1987, no cat. [See the checklist of the exhibition, Dept. of Exhibits, Library of Congress].

Bibliography

1881

  • Durand, John. "John Trumbull." American Art Review 2, part 2 (1881): 230, note.

1901

  • Weir, John F. John Trumbull. New York, 1901: 75.

1931

  • Bolton, Theodore, and Harry Lorin Binsse. "Trumbull, `Historiographer' of the Revolution." The Antiquarian 17, no. 1 (July 1931): 54, repro. 18.

1932

  • Exhibition of Portraits of George Washington and His Associates. Exh. cat. Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, 1932: no. 88.

1941

  • Preliminary Catalogue of Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1941: 199, no. 494.

1942

  • Book of Illustrations. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1942: 249, repro. 10.

1943

  • Thomas Jefferson Bicentennial Exhibition, 1743-1943. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1943: no. 22.

1948

  • American Heritage. Exh. cat. Denver Art Museum, 1948: no. 7.

  • Sizer, Theodore. "A Tentative 'Short-Title' Check List of the Works of Col. John Trumbull." Part II. Art Bulletin 30, no. 4 (December 1948): 266.

1949

  • From Colony to Nation: An Exhibition of American Painting, Silver and Architecture From 1650 to the War of 1812. Exh. cat. The Art Institute of Chicago, 1949: no. 122.

  • Paintings and Sculpture from the Mellon Collection. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1949 (reprinted 1953 and 1958): 143, repro.

1950

  • Makers of History in Washington 1800-1950. Exh. cat. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1950: no. 4.

  • The Face of American History. Exh. cat. Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina, 1950: no. 20.

1951

  • American Portraits From the National Gallery of Art. Exh. cat. Atlanta Art Association, High Museum of Art, Atlanta, 1951: no. 17.

  • They Gave Us Freedom. Exh. cat. Colonial Williamsburg and the College of William and Mary, 1951: no. 63.

1952

  • Opening Exhibition of the George Thomas Hunter Gallery of Art. Exh. cat. Chattanooga Art Association, 1952: unnumbered.

1953

  • Campbell, T. Moody. "A Rare Exhibit of Portraits and Prints," Alumnae Bulletin, Randolph-Macon Woman's College 46, no. 2 (February 1953): 7.

1963

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. New York, 1963 (reprinted 1964 in French, German, and Spanish): 321, repro.

1966

  • Paintings by American Masters. Exh. cat. Art Center, Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, 1966: no. 7.

1967

  • Sizer, Theodore. The Works of Colonel John Trumbull. New Haven, 1950: 29; Rev. ed. 1967: 37-38.

1970

  • American Paintings and Sculpture: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1970: 116, repro.

1975

  • The Face of Liberty: Founders of the United States. Exh. cat. Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Fort Worth, 1975-1976: 142, pl. 38.

1980

  • American Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1980: 249, repro.

1991

  • Kopper, Philip. America's National Gallery of Art: A Gift to the Nation. New York, 1991: 67.

1992

  • American Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1992: 369, repro.

1995

  • Miles, Ellen G. American Paintings of the Eighteenth Century. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 1995: 308-312, repro. 311.

Wikidata ID

Q20182014

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