Zachariah Schoonmaker
1815/1818
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 66.4 x 57 cm (26 1/8 x 22 7/16 in.) framed: 84.5 x 74.3 x 6.2 cm (33 1/4 x 29 1/4 x 2 7/16 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Andrew W. Mellon Collection
Accession Number
1942.8.36
Art Historical Context
**Zachariah Schoonmaker** (1815/1818) is a compelling portrait by John Vanderlyn, a leading American Neoclassical painter trained in Paris under neoclassical masters like Jacques-Louis David. Painted in oil on canvas—a medium prized for its luminous depth and ability to capture subtle skin tones and fabric textures—this work measures 66.4 x 57 cm, showcasing Vanderlyn's skill in rendering lifelike likenesses during America's early national period. Vanderlyn, active from the late 18th to mid-19th century, bridged European sophistication with emerging American identity, often portraying promine...
About the Artist
John Vanderlyn · 1775–1852
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