Neagle, John, 1796-1865

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John B. Neagle was a portrait painter.

From the description of Notebooks, 1825-1850. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122616046

John Neagle was a portrait painter who lived and worked in Philadelphia in the mid nineteenth century. While serving as an apprentice to Thomas Wilson, a "coach and ornamental painter," he began to consider painting as a career for himself. He studied under Thomas Sully, and in 1818 ventured to Lexington, Kentucky, with the hope of setting up a business. After a brief stay he returned to Philadelphia, then traveled to Boston in 1825 to study with Gilbert Stuart. In 1826 he returned to Philadelphia and married Mary Chester Sully, the niece and step-daughter of Thomas Sully.

From the description of Papers, 1817-1865. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 86165479

American portrait painter.

From the description of Letter, 1842 Nov. 15. (Filson Historical Society, The). WorldCat record id: 49276151

Portrait painter; Philadelphia, Pa.

From the description of John Neagle printed material, 1781-1857. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122515362

Portrait painter; Philadelphia, Penn.

Neagle studied under Bass Otis. Influences on Neagle's work include Thomas Sully and Gilbert Stuart. Neagle's painting "Pat Lyon at the Forge" was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy in 1827 and brought him notoriety. Neagle married Sully's step-daughter, Mary, in 1826.

From the description of John Neagle papers, 1817-1865. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122594738

Portrait painter; Philadelphia, Penn.

aAt 14 years, Neagle apprenticed with Thomas Wilson, a coach and ornamental painter. Through Wilson, Neagle met and studied under Bass Otis. Influences on Neagle's work include Thomas Sully and Gilbert Stuart. Neagle's painting "Pat Lyon at the Forge" was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy in 1827 and brought him recognition and a reputation as a fine painter. In addition to painting, he devoted his attentions to the Pennsylvania Academy, the Artists' Fund Society, and art theory.

From the description of John Neagle notebooks and account books, 1824-1861. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122557273

Like Benjamin Franklin before him, John Neagle was a Bostonian by birth and a Philadelphian by nature. One of Philadelphia's better known portrait painters during the first half of the nineteenth century and a promoter of the fine arts, Neagle was born into a family of middling means in 1796. After his father, Maurice, an Irish immigrant, died in 1800, John was raised in Philadelphia. In his autobiography, Neagle describes becoming obsessed with drawing at an early age, despite little family encouragement.

While serving as an apprentice to the "coach and ornamental painter," Thomas Wilson, Neagle began to explore the possibility of painting as a career. Through Wilson, Neagle was introduced to the portrait painter Bass Otis, whose work, he wrote, "set me on fire." After two months study with Otis, and committed research on his own, Neagle committed himself to becoming a portrait painter.

Having earned praise for his ambition and the quality of his work, Neagle turned away from coach painting and at the end of his apprenticeship in 1818, he struck out for Lexington, Kentucky, in the hopes of establishing himself in business. Finding that another painter, Matthew Harris Jouett, was already well entrenched there, Neagle moved to New Orleans, where he was again thwarted by the competition, before returning to Philadelphia.

In his home city, Neagle's career slowly began to develop. Exhibiting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts from 1821 on, and becoming the protege of Thomas Sully by 1824, Neagle continued his studies. In 1825, he traveled to Boston to study with Gilbert Stuart for a year, returning to Philadelphia to marry Mary Chester Sully, Sully's niece and stepdaughter.

Over the next decade, Neagle worked in both New York and Philadelphia, producing his best known works, including Pat Lyon at the Forge and his portrait ofthe physician, William Potts Dewees (1833). In 1842, he was commissioned topaint his last great work, the massive portrait of Henry Clay that now hangs inthe Union League of Philadelphia.

Neagle's artistic output began to wane following the death of his wife in 1845, and he began gradually to withdraw from public life. In the late 1850s, he suffered a severe stroke which left him partially paralyzed. He died at home in Philadelphia on September 17, 1865.

From the guide to the John Neagle Papers, 1817-1865, (American Philosophical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Cecile, F. L. Engravings of Thomas Jefferson, n.d. (ca. 1800-1850). University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Longacre family papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Brown, Orlando, 1801-1867. Orlando Brown : papers, 1780-1898. The Filson Historical Society
creatorOf Neagle, John, 1796-1865. [Portrait of Nicholas Philip Trist [graphic] / by Neagle.]. UC Berkeley Libraries
referencedIn Albert Duveen art reference files Archives of American Art
creatorOf John Neagle printed material Archives of American Art
creatorOf Receipt to Col. Johnston Archives of American Art
creatorOf Neagle, John, 1796-1865. John Neagle : [vertical file]. Morris Museum of Art Library
creatorOf Whelan, William, d. 1863. William Whelan Papers, 1811-1841 (inclusive). Porterville Public Library
referencedIn Hart, Charles Henry, 1847-1918,. Miscellaneous artists' letters, receipts and exhibition announcements, 1731-1901. Archives of American Art
creatorOf Russell, Xanthus, and Mary Smith family papers Archives of American Art
creatorOf John Neagle Papers, 1817-1865 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf John Neagle papers Archives of American Art
referencedIn Chambers, Eunice, d. ca. 1971. Papers, 1930-1967. Winterthur Library
creatorOf Neagle, John, 1796-1865. Letter, 1842 Nov. 15. The Filson Historical Society
referencedIn Jennings, James Longstreet Sibley, 1941-. James Longstreet Sibley Jennings, Jr. papers, 1777-1996. Georgia Historical Society
creatorOf Neagle, John, 1796-1865. Artist file. Brooklyn Museum Libraries & Archives
referencedIn Newsam, Albert, 1809-1864. Albert Newsam Print Collection, 1822-1881 bulk 1829-1860. Historical Society of Pennsylvania
creatorOf Artists' Fund Society records Archives of American Art
referencedIn Joseph Sill selected diaries Archives of American Art
creatorOf Selected art related letters from Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Society Collection Archives of American Art
creatorOf John Neagle notebooks and account books Archives of American Art
creatorOf Davis, Alexander Jackson, 1803-1892. Girard College, Philadelphia, Pa. [graphic]. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
creatorOf Neagle, John, 1796-1865. Papers, 1817-1865. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Neagle, Garrett C., 19th cent. Autograph letters signed from Garrett C. Neagle to Augustin Daly [manuscript], 1887-1890. Folger Shakespeare Library
creatorOf Parrish Family Papers, 1780-1966. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
creatorOf Sully, Thomas, 1783-1872. Autograph letter signed : [Philadelphia], to his son-in-law, the artist, John Neagle, [1845] Feb. 12. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Fielding, Mantle, 1865-1941. Papers, 1902-1938. Winterthur Library
creatorOf Dupee, Charles, b. 1807 or 8. Charles Dupee sketch, 1842 The Filson Historical Society
creatorOf Neagle, John, 1796-1865. Notebooks, 1825-1850. American Philosophical Society Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Artists' Fund Society. corporateBody
correspondedWith Brown, Orlando, 1801-1867. person
associatedWith Carey, Henry C. person
associatedWith Carey, Henry Charles, 1793-1879. person
associatedWith Carey, Matthew person
associatedWith Chambers, Eunice, d. ca. 1971. person
associatedWith Clay, Henry, 1777-1852. person
associatedWith Davis, Alexander Jackson, 1803-1892. person
associatedWith Dickson, Levi. person
associatedWith Dupee, Charles, b. 1807 or 8. person
associatedWith Duveen, Albert. person
associatedWith E. C. person
associatedWith Ennis, Susan person
associatedWith Fielding, Mantle, 1865-1941. person
associatedWith Frazer, Oliver, 1808-1864. person
associatedWith Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania person
associatedWith Hart, Charles Henry, 1847-1918, person
associatedWith Historical Society of Pennsylvania. corporateBody
associatedWith Jennings, James Longstreet Sibley, 1941- person
associatedWith Jouett, Matthew Harris, 1787-1827. person
associatedWith Longacre family. family
associatedWith Moore, David P. person
associatedWith Neagle, Alfred person
associatedWith Neagle, Elizabeth. person
associatedWith Neagle family family
associatedWith Neagle, Garrett C., 19th cent. person
associatedWith Neagle, Margaret Dickson, d.1853. person
associatedWith Neagle, Mary Chester Sully person
associatedWith Neagle, Mary, d.1846. person
associatedWith Neagle, Susan. person
associatedWith Newsam, Albert, 1809-1864. person
associatedWith Peale, Rembrandt, 1778-1860. person
associatedWith Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. corporateBody
associatedWith Sartain, John, 1808-1897. person
associatedWith Sill, Joseph, 1801-1854. person
associatedWith Smith family (Philadelphia, Pa.) family
associatedWith Smith family (Philadelphia, Pa.) family
associatedWith Smith, Mary, 1842-1878. person
associatedWith Stuart, Gilbert, 1755-1828. person
associatedWith Sully, Blanch. person
associatedWith Sully family family
associatedWith Sully, Mary C. person
associatedWith Sully, Robert M. person
associatedWith Sully, Thomas, 1783-1872. person
associatedWith Taylor, Levi. person
associatedWith Tiers, Arundius person
associatedWith Trist, Nicholas Philip, 1800-1874 person
associatedWith Varley, Cornelius, 1781-1873. person
associatedWith Varley, John, 1778-1842 person
associatedWith Whelan, William, d. 1863. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Ashland (Lexington, Ky.)
United States
United States
Kentucky
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
Subject
Art, American
Art
Artists
Artists' materials
Art literature
Art objects
Engravers
Engravers
Landscape painting
Landscape painting
Literature, Arts, and Culture
Painters
Portrait painters
Portrait painters
Portrait painters
Painting
Painting
Portrait painting
Whist
Occupation
Artists
Collector
Activity

Person

Birth 1796-11-04

Death 1865-09-17

Britons

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