ticketsMember | Make a donation

Thomas Jefferson

John Trumbull American
1788
Not on view
The Connecticut-born Trumbull was intensely interested in painting the participants and events of the American Revolution. Trumbull met Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) in London in 1785. Jefferson, then America’s minister to France, invited the artist to be his guest in Paris and Trumbull accepted the offer twice, in 1786 and 1787. On the second visit, he painted Jefferson from life directly onto his painting entitled The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 (Yale University Art Gallery). The Met’s small portrait of Jefferson, copied from the Yale picture, was made for his friend Angelica Schuyler Church (1756-1814).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Thomas Jefferson
  • Artist: John Trumbull (American, Lebanon, Connecticut 1756–1843 New York)
  • Date: 1788
  • Culture: American
  • Medium: Oil on mahogany
  • Dimensions: 4 1/2 x 3 1/4 in. (11.4 x 8.3 cm)
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Cornelia Cruger, 1923
  • Object Number: 24.19.1
  • Curatorial Department: The American Wing

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Ticonderoga & its Dependencies, August 1776
After John Trumbull (American, Lebanon, Connecticut 1756–1843 New York)
1841
Thomas Mifflin
John Trumbull (American, Lebanon, Connecticut 1756–1843 New York)
ca. 1790
Major General Horatio Gates
John Trumbull (American, Lebanon, Connecticut 1756–1843 New York)
1790
Alexander Hamilton
John Trumbull (American, Lebanon, Connecticut 1756–1843 New York)
1804–6
Mrs. John Murray
John Trumbull (American, Lebanon, Connecticut 1756–1843 New York)
ca. 1806

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback