Celebrating The American Wing: American Portraits | Explore & Learn

Celebrating the American Wing: American Portraits

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Portraits record likenesses, commemorate events, and celebrate human traits. Some include elaborate poses, attributes, and settings, while others are comparatively stark. In this way, each portrait represents a negotiation between the sitter and the artist. By the mid-eighteenth century, portraiture was firmly fixed as the predominant art form in the American colonies. It remained popular and desirable, especially among the country's elite, throughout the nineteenth century. Here are nine special portraits from the Museum's collection, presented with related works and illuminating information.

Photograph Credits