Jeremiah Belknap
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
unframed: 107 × 84 cm · framed: 121.9 × 97.2 × 7.6 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
American Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust
Accession Number
1919.1016
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
Lacking formal training, Badger got his start painting houses and signs in Boston, then shifted his focus to accommodate the increasing market for portraits in the colonies. Jeremiah Belknap is shown here at about 7 years old, but his attire gives him the appearance of a miniature adult. The artist’s portraits of children often include fruit and animals—the ripening peach in Belknap’s right hand suggests maturation, while the dog at his feet symbolizes loyalty.