Artwork
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton is an oil painting by the Neoclassicist artist John Trumbull. It dates from 1796 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting, completed in 1796 by John Trumbull, is a full-length portrait that presents Alexander Hamilton as a central figure of the early Republic.
The painting, completed in 1796 by John Trumbull, is a full-length portrait that presents Alexander Hamilton as a central figure of the early Republic. It was created as one of several portraits of Hamilton by the artist.
The work has been described as the "greatest known portrait of Hamilton and one of the finest civic portraits from the Federal period," a status underscored by its 2013 donation by Credit Suisse to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where it remains on public view.
Technique & Style
The portrait was executed in oil on canvas in 1796, employing the full-length format favored in early American portraiture. Trumbull's handling of light and brushwork produces a crisp rendering of the sitter's clothing and a realistic flesh tone, reflecting the Federal-period emphasis on dignified civic representation. The work measures roughly 219 cm in height and 146 cm in width.
As a finished oil painting, it exemplifies the medium's capacity for fine detail and subtle tonal modulation. The painting is held jointly by the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
History & Provenance
John Trumbull painted the full-length portrait Alexander Hamilton in 1796, one of several likenesses he made of the statesman. The work later entered the collection of Credit Suisse, which retained ownership until 2013, when it donated the painting jointly to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, where it is now held in shared custody. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes it as the greatest known portrait of Hamilton and one of the finest civic portraits from the Federal period. The sources do not record an earlier provenance, accession numbers, or a specific commission for the portrait.
Context
John Trumbull's 1796 full-length portrait of Alexander Hamilton is recognized as a definitive image of the Founding Father; the Metropolitan Museum of Art describes the work as the greatest known portrait of Hamilton and one of the finest civic portraits from the Federal period. It is one of several portraits Trumbull created of Hamilton, reflecting the artist's broader engagement with American political figures during the nation's formative years. The painting's significance is further underscored by its 2013 donation by Credit Suisse, which established its shared custody between the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Legacy
John Trumbull's 1796 portrait of Alexander Hamilton has been characterized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art as the "greatest known portrait of Hamilton and one of the finest civic portraits from the Federal period," a designation that has secured its standing as a benchmark for evaluating likenesses of the statesman. The painting's reputation was further amplified in 2013 when Credit Suisse donated it jointly to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, broadening public access to Trumbull's depiction.
As one of several portraits Trumbull produced of Hamilton, the painting remains a point of reference within the artist's broader body of work and within the visual culture of the early republic, contributing to the enduring iconography surrounding Hamilton's image.
Overview
This 1792 oil painting by John Trumbull depicts Alexander Hamilton in a full-length format. It is recognized as a significant representation of the prominent American statesman during the Federal period. The work is notable among Trumbull's multiple portrayals of Hamilton, offering a formal yet engaging view of the figure who shaped early American finance and government.
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Trumbull (June 6, 1756 – November 10, 1843) was an American painter and military officer best known for his historical paintings of the American Revolutionary War, of which he was a veteran.
