Peale, Rembrandt, 1778?-1860

Rembrandt and Harriet Peale (née Cany) were painters; Philadelphia, Pa.

From the description of Rembrandt and Harriet Peale papers, 1824-1932. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81263030

From the description of Printed material relating to Rembrandt Peale, 1830-1862 [microform]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80271418

Peale, from a family of artists, was a portrait, miniature and historical painter.

From the description of Notes of the Painting Room. (Winterthur Library). WorldCat record id: 122397584

Epithet: Artist and Author

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001389.0x0000ac

Rembrandt Peale was a portrait and historical painter. He was the son of Charles Willson Peale.

From the description of Sketchbooks, 1850, [n.d.]. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122624306

From the guide to the Rembrandt Peale sketchbooks, 1850, [n.d.], 1850, (American Philosophical Society)

Artist.

From the description of Papers of Rembrandt Peale, 1824-1831. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79450007

American painter.

From the description of Letter, 1826 Feb. 1, New York, to Senate and House of Representatives of the state of Mississippi. (National Gallery of Art Library). WorldCat record id: 122385069

From the description of Letter, 1832 Nov. 3, Boston, to Benjamin Bussey. (Getty Research Institute). WorldCat record id: 79367930

From the description of Manuscript, ca. 1860. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80231345

Rembrandt Peale was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, into a famous family of painters. He taught himself to paint by copying his father's works and paintings from Philadelphia museums, and became an accomplished portrait artist, travelling throughout the fledgling United States. He later studied in England and France, which inspired larger, more ambitious paintings. He moved to Baltimore and opened a museum, but a lack of financial acumen forced him to sell the museum and seek more lucrative portrait commissions. He became an accomplished lithographer, and wrote several popular works on art instruction. A skilled, instinctively popular artist, Peale was also an idealist who sought to make art accessible to everyone.

From the description of Rembrandt Peale memorandum on his teaching manual, Graphics, circa 1841. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 70247607

Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860) was a well-known portrait and historical painter in Philadelphia and Boston in the 19th century.

From the description of Portrait, [n.d.] (Naval War College). WorldCat record id: 46357836

Rembrandt (1778-1860) and Harriet Peale (née Cany) (ca. 1800-1869) were painters in Philadelphia, Pa.

From the description of Rembrandt and Harriet Peale papers, 1824-1932. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 422875030

American portrait & historical painter.

From the description of Letter and photograph of Rembrandt Peale [manuscript], 1858 and n.d. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647808238

American artist and painter.

From the guide to the Rembrandt Peale letters, 1835-1857, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

American portrait painter.

From the description of Note, no date. (Natural History Museum Foundation, Los Angeles County). WorldCat record id: 23300605

Peale was one of the founding members of the National Academy of Design.

From the description of Manuscripts, [ca. 1830-1850] (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155507125

Rembrandt Peale was a portrait and historical painter.

From the description of Papers, 1808-1833. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122644693

From the description of Palettes, 1833-1855. (American Philosophical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 122540007

From the guide to the Rembrandt Peale palettes, 1833-1855, 1833-1855, (American Philosophical Society)

From the guide to the Rembrandt Peale papers, 1808-1833, 1808-1833, (American Philosophical Society)

Portrait painter; Philadelphia, Pa.

From the description of Receipts for paintings of Thomas Badaraque, 1806. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 86093872

Portrait, miniature and historical painter; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Peale is the son of Charles Willson Peale.

From the description of Rembrandt Peale letters and address, 1846-1857. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 86118404

Portrait, miniature and historical painter; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Peale is the son of Charles Willson Peale.

From the description of Rembrandt Peale letter, 1855 Sept. 8. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 220209504

Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860) was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and was the second son of painter Charles Willson Peale. He was known primarily for his historical paintings and portraits, particularly those of George Washington. Peale painted his first Washington portrait in 1795 at the age of 17, in a sitting arranged by his father. From 1795-1800 he traveled in Maryland and the South painting portraits, and from 1801-1803 studied with Benjamin West in London.

Peale returned to Europe from l808 to l8l0, and spent most of his time in Paris where he was inspired to take up historical painting. From 1813-1822 he lived in Baltimore where, in 1814, he established a museum for paintings and natural history that later became known as the Peale Museum. Peale's most famous allegorical painting, Court of Death, was completed in 1820 and was one of the most popular paintings of the decade.

In 1822 Peale moved to New York City where he embarked on an attempt to paint what he hoped would become the "Standard likeness" of Washington. In the process he reviewed portraits by other artists including John Trumbull, Gilbert Stuart and his father, as well as his own 1795 picture which had never truly satisfied him. His resulting Patriae Pater, completed in 1824, depicts Washington through an oval window, and is considered by many to be second only to Gilbert Stuart's iconic Athenaeum painting of the first president. Peale subsequently attempted to capitalise on the success of what quickly became known as his "Porthole" picture, collecting tesimonials praising the portrait from people who had known the president, and lobbying Congress, in vain, for a commission to paint an equestrian portrait of Washington. Despite his failure to gain such a commission, "Patriae Pater" was purchased by Congress in 1832 and still hangs in the U.S. Capitol.

Peale subsequently produced over 70 replicas of the "porthole" picture and in the late 1850s delivered a series of lecture entitled "Washington and his Portraits" along the East coast. He was also an accomplished writer and lecturer on natural history, and was among the founders of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, a president of the American Academy, and a founder of the National Academy.

From the guide to the Rembrandt and Harriet Peale collection, circa 1820-1932, (Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution)