Chapman family

Biography

John Gadsby Chapman (1808-1898) was an American painter who gained great recognition in the mid-19th century. Born in Alexandria, Virginia, he was a pupil of George Cooke and C.B. King. A student at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, he was elected a member of the National Academy in 1836.

Chapman worked in New York City and Washington, D.C., and became well known as a painter of historical scenes and portraits. He also produced wood engravings and etchings, and he often contributed pictures to Harper Brothers' publications. His AMERICAN DRAWING BOOK, published in 1847, became a standard text. Among Chapman's most famous works were his illustrations for Harpers' BIBLE and his painting "The Baptism of Pocahontas," commissioned by the U.S. Congress for the Capitol rotunda.

In 1848 Chapman returned to Italy, where he lived for the remainder of his life. There he established a studio in Rome and raised his family. Among his children were his daughter Mary and his two sons, John Litton Chapman and Conrad Wise Chapman.

Conrad Wise Chapman (called "Cooney") also became a painter. After living in Paris, Conrad left for America in 1861 to join the Confederate army. He served in the 3rd Kentucky Regiment and later as Ordnance Sergeant in the 59th Virginia Regiment. In 1863, as a result of his mother's ill-health, he took a furlough and travelled to Italy. Returning to the U.S. in 1865, he led a nomadic life in Texas and Mexico, eventually going back to Italy. By 1896 he was in Mexico again, and by 1898 he was married and living in Richmond, Virginia. His painting "Fort Sumpter" was well known, and he also developed a reputation as a photographer.

The Chapman Family Papers were collected by Conrad's brother John Litton Chapman. He gave the materials as a gift to Helen Kaley, a friend of the family. Mrs. Kaley carried the materials with her as she moved throughout the U.S., finally donating the collection to the UCSD Library in 1972.

From the guide to the Chapman Family Correspondence and Other Documents, 1791-1898, (University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.)