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Catalog Data

Artist:
Christian Schussele, 16 Apr 1824 - 1879  Search this
Sitter:
William Thomas Green Morton, 9 Aug 1819 - 15 Jul 1868  Search this
James Bogardus, 14 Mar 1800 - 13 Apr 1874  Search this
Samuel Colt, 19 Jul 1814 - 10 Jan 1862  Search this
Cyrus Hall McCormick, 15 Feb 1809 - 13 May 1884  Search this
Joseph Saxton, 22 Mar 1799 - 26 Oct 1873  Search this
Charles Goodyear, 29 Dec 1800 - 1 Jul 1860  Search this
Peter Cooper, 12 Feb 1791 - 4 Apr 1883  Search this
Jordan Lawrence Mott, 12 Oct 1799 - 1866  Search this
Joseph Henry, 17 Dec 1797 - 13 May 1878  Search this
Eliphalet Nott, 25 Jun 1773 - 29 Jan 1866  Search this
John Ericsson, 31 Jul 1803 - 8 Mar 1889  Search this
Frederick Ellsworth Sickels, 20 Sep 1819 - 8 Mar 1895  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse, 27 Apr 1791 - 2 Apr 1872  Search this
Henry Burden, 22 Apr 1791 - 19 Jan 1871  Search this
Richard March Hoe, 12 Sep 1812 - 7 Jun 1886  Search this
Erastus Brigham Bigelow, 2 Apr 1814 - 6 Dec 1879  Search this
Isaiah Jennings, 1792 - 1862  Search this
Thomas Blanchard, 24 Jun 1788 - 16 Apr 1864  Search this
Elias Howe, 9 Jul 1819 - 3 Oct 1867  Search this
Medium:
Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
Stretcher: 128.3 x 190.5 x 5.1cm (50 1/2 x 75 x 2")
Frame: 162.6 x 225.7 x 12.7cm (64 x 88 7/8 x 5")
Type:
Painting
Place:
United States\Pennsylvania\Philadelphia\Philadelphia
Date:
1862
Exhibition Label:
In 1857, the inventor of a coal-burning stove, Jordan Mott, commissioned Christian Schussele to paint this group portrait of nineteen scientists and inventors of the United States who “had altered the course of contemporary civilization.” Schussele represents the group gathered around a table discussing Samuel F. B. Morse’s telegraph device, with other inventions and diagrams scattered about the room. The portrait did not commemorate an actual occasion but was meant to honor national achievement. Schussele began by sketching each figure individually before designing the group composition. In the background, he included a painting of the men’s famed eighteenth-century predecessor, Benjamin Franklin.
Men of Progress pays tribute to the remarkable growth of the U.S. economy by the 1850s. It celebrates the inventions and processes of manufacturing pioneered by men such as Cyrus McCormick, Charles Goodyear, Samuel Colt, Elias Howe, and Joseph Henry, first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
En 1857, el inventor de la estufa de carbón, Jordan Mott, encargó a Christian Schussele este retrato grupal de 19 científicos e inventores de Estados Unidos que “habían alterado el curso de la civilización contemporánea”. Schussele presenta al grupo en torno a una mesa, examinando el telégrafo de Samuel F. B. Morse, con otros inventos y diagramas dispersos por el salón. El retrato no pretendía conmemorar una ocasión real, sino honrar los logros nacionales. Schussele comenzó por esbozar cada figura por separado antes de fijar la composición de grupo. Al fondo incluyó una pintura del célebre antecesor de estos hombres en el siglo XVIII, Benjamin Franklin.
Hombres del progreso rinde tributo al extraordinario crecimiento económico logrado en EE.UU. para la década de 1850. Celebra las invenciones y los procesos de manufactura originados por hombres como Cyrus McCormick, Charles Goodyear, Samuel Colt, Elias Howe y Joseph Henry, primer secretario de la Smithsonian Institution.
Provenance:
Jordan Lawrence Mott; Mott family; (M. Knoedler & Co., New York); purchased 21 January 1937 by The A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, Pittsburgh; gift to NGA 1942; transferred 1965 to NPG.
Topic:
Interior  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair  Search this
Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses  Search this
Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table  Search this
Equipment\Walking stick\Cane  Search this
Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses\Pince-nez  Search this
Architecture\Column  Search this
Artwork\Portrait  Search this
Weapon\Gun\Pistol  Search this
Art implements\Architectural drawing  Search this
Equipment\Patent model  Search this
Isaiah Jennings: Male  Search this
Isaiah Jennings: Medicine and Health\Dentist  Search this
Isaiah Jennings: Science and Technology\Inventor\Dental  Search this
Isaiah Jennings: Science and Technology\Inventor\Firearms  Search this
Joseph Henry: Male  Search this
Joseph Henry: Education and Scholarship\Educator\Professor  Search this
Joseph Henry: Science and Technology\Scientist\Physicist  Search this
Joseph Henry: Education and Scholarship\Administrator\Smithsonian Institution\Secretary of Smithsonian Institution  Search this
Elias Howe: Male  Search this
Elias Howe: Science and Technology\Inventor\Sewing machine  Search this
Elias Howe: Crafts and Trades\Machinist  Search this
William Thomas Green Morton: Male  Search this
William Thomas Green Morton: Literature\Writer\Medical writer  Search this
William Thomas Green Morton: Science and Technology\Inventor\Medical  Search this
William Thomas Green Morton: Medicine and Health\Dentist  Search this
William Thomas Green Morton: Medicine and Health\Physician\Anaesthetist  Search this
Charles Goodyear: Male  Search this
Charles Goodyear: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Charles Goodyear: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Rubber  Search this
Charles Goodyear: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Merchant\Retailer  Search this
James Bogardus: Male  Search this
James Bogardus: Visual Arts\Artist\Medalist  Search this
James Bogardus: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
James Bogardus: Science and Technology\Engineer\Structural engineer  Search this
Joseph Saxton: Male  Search this
Joseph Saxton: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Joseph Saxton: Crafts and Trades\Clockmaker  Search this
Jordan Lawrence Mott: Male  Search this
Jordan Lawrence Mott: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist\Patron of the arts  Search this
Jordan Lawrence Mott: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Merchant  Search this
Jordan Lawrence Mott: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Iron  Search this
Cyrus Hall McCormick: Male  Search this
Cyrus Hall McCormick: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer  Search this
Cyrus Hall McCormick: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist  Search this
Cyrus Hall McCormick: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Cyrus Hall McCormick: Society and Social Change\Administrator\Historical society administrator\President  Search this
Henry Burden: Male  Search this
Henry Burden: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Entrepreneur  Search this
Henry Burden: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Henry Burden: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Iron  Search this
Henry Burden: Crafts and Trades\Metalworker\Ironmaster  Search this
Henry Burden: Business and Finance\Transportation\Shipbuilder  Search this
Erastus Brigham Bigelow: Male  Search this
Erastus Brigham Bigelow: Science and Technology\Inventor\Loom  Search this
Erastus Brigham Bigelow: Education and Scholarship\Founder\Technical institute  Search this
Samuel Colt: Male  Search this
Samuel Colt: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Samuel Colt: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Firearms  Search this
Thomas Blanchard: Male  Search this
Thomas Blanchard: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Richard March Hoe: Male  Search this
Richard March Hoe: Science and Technology\Inventor\Press  Search this
Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Male  Search this
Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Science and Technology\Engineer\Structural engineer  Search this
Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Science and Technology\Engineer\Civil engineer\Bridge builder  Search this
Eliphalet Nott: Male  Search this
Eliphalet Nott: Education and Scholarship\Administrator\College administrator\President  Search this
Eliphalet Nott: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Eliphalet Nott: Religion and Spirituality\Clergy\Minister  Search this
Peter Cooper: Male  Search this
Peter Cooper: Business and Finance\Businessperson  Search this
Peter Cooper: Education and Scholarship\Founder\School  Search this
Peter Cooper: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer  Search this
Peter Cooper: Society and Social Change\Philanthropist  Search this
Peter Cooper: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Peter Cooper: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Iron  Search this
John Ericsson: Male  Search this
John Ericsson: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
John Ericsson: Science and Technology\Engineer\Military engineer  Search this
John Ericsson: Science and Technology\Engineer\Marine engineer  Search this
John Ericsson: Business and Finance\Transportation\Shipbuilder  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Male  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Visual Arts\Artist\Painter  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Visual Arts\Artist\Portraitist  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Journalism and Media\Journalist  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Visual Arts\Art instructor  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Education and Scholarship\Founder\College  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Science and Technology\Inventor  Search this
Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Science and Technology\Inventor\Telegraph  Search this
Portrait  Search this
Credit Line:
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the National Gallery of Art; gift of the A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, 1942
Object number:
NPG.65.60
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Exhibition:
Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900
On View:
NPG, East Gallery 120
Data Source:
National Portrait Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm42807e116-7c29-4206-a45d-dcdfde3b437f
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:npg_NPG.65.60