BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 
his paints, with which he hastened back to Annapolis, eager 
to commence. 
Previous to this, there had been only three persons in 
Maryland, professing the art of portrait painting: Cain, 
Hesselius, and Woolaston. They were artists from the pa- 
rent country, who had made profitable circuits through the 
colonies, furnishing to the most wealthy families laudable 
portraits and groups in the style of the courtly Kneller. 
Mr. Hesselius, however, had married an American lady, 
and was living near Annapolis. To him our young artist 
looked for the benefit of instruction; and taking with him 
as a present one of his finest saddles, requested to see him 
paint a picture. Thus instructed, he succeeded in painting 
the portraits of several of his friends, much to their gratifi- 
cation and pleasure to himself, but little to the advantage of 
his neglected saddlery. 
Tempted by an offer of his brother in law, Captain Polk, 
he accompanied him in his schooner to Boston, where he 
became acquainted with Mr. Copley, who received him 
kindly and lent him a picture to copy. The sight of Mr. 
Copley’s picture room afforded him great enjoyment and 
instruction. He returned with increased knowledge, and 
was patronized by Mr. Arbunkle, whose family he had 
painted; besides several neighbours in Virginia. On his 
return to Annapolis it was decided by his friends that he 
must go to England, and several gentlemen very liberally 
subscribed to raise a fund for that purpose, to be repaid by 
paintings on his return, which enabled him to undertake 
the voyage to London, furnished with letters of recommen- 
dation to Mr. West, Mr. Jennings, and others. 
Mr. West received him with the greatest kindness, and 
freely gave him instructions in drawing and painting. 
From an Italian he learned to model in wax; Mr. Flaxman 
senior, instructed him in the art of moulding and casting 
plaister figures. But when he had been more than a year 
in London, and his diminished funds reminded him of re- 
turning to America, Mr. West earnestly persuaded him to 
remain another year, kindly offering him a residence in his 
own house. Additional remittances from America, and 
some portraits which he painted in London, through the 
recommendations of Mr. Jennings, enabled him to prolong 
his stay; during which he made great improvement in oil 
painting, learned to paint in miniature, and executed some 
mezzotinto engravings. At this time Stuart and Trumbull 
were likewise students with Mr. West. 
On his return to America, he found constant employment 
at portrait painting, both in Annapolis and Baltimore. 
Here he invited his brothers St. George and James to join 
his family, and instructed them, as well as his sisters, in 
drawing and painting. To commemorate this happy groupe, 
he painted the large family piece which is in the Philadel- 
phia Museum, to which, in his old age, he added a faithful 
mastiff. In several visits which he had paid to Philadel- 
phia, having found employment, he determined to settle 
there, which he did in the year 1776; but the increasing 
troubles, produced by the contest with the parent country, 
excited his patriotism to join in popular meetings, where 
he was distinguished for his ardour. He raised a company 
of volunteers, which elected him their captain. With them 
he sought the army of General Washington, and was en- 
gaged in the battles of Trenton and Germantown; his fami- 
ly having retired from Philadelphia into the country, en- 
during many privations. 
In camp he painted the portraits of several distinguished 
officers, which was the commencement of his invaluable 
Gallery of American characters; and it was at the moment 
he was painting a miniature of General Washington at a 
small farm-house in New Jersey, a letter was received an- 
nouncing the surrender of Cornwallis. Mr. Peale had his 
table and chair near the window, and Washington was sit- 
ting on the side of a bed; the room being too small for 
another chair. His aid-de-camp, Colonel Tilghman, was 
present. It was an interesting moment; but the sitting 
was continued, as the miniature was intended for Mrs. 
Washington. 
Notwithstanding his fondness for the peaceful employ- 
ment of the pencil, he was influenced by the spirit of the 
times to join in public meetings, where, being often chair- 
man, he was drawn into notice, and appointed to offices of 
great responsibility. In 1779 he represented Philadel- 
phia in the Legislative Assembly, and zealously co-ope- 
rated in passing the law for the abolition of slavery. But 
he ever afterwards forbore meddling with politics, and 
scrupulously confined his attention to painting, mechanical 
inventions and occupations. At this time he was much em- 
ployed, being, for about fifteen years, the only portrait pain- 
ter in the western world. 
In the year 1785, the idea of making a Museum of Natu- 
ral History first occurred to him. It was suggested by some 
bones of the Mammoth which were brought to him to make 
drawings from them, and were placed in his picture gallery, 
which contained a valuable and increasing collection of 
portraits of characters distinguished in the revolutionary 
struggles. This new pursuit soon engrossed all his thoughts, 
and furnished a never-ending occupation for all his indus- 
try, ingenuity, and perseverance. Unacquainted with the 
European modes of proceeding, he had every thing to dis- 
cover; and years elapsed before he could succeed in pre- 
serving his specimens of animals from the depredations of 
insects. The writer of this article has seen hundreds of 
birds and beasts, when better specimens were prepared, 
burnt in piles — a sacrifice on the altar of experience. Many 
