Samuel Miles
1800
Gilbert Stuart, the artist famous for painting George Washington's face on the dollar bill, captured Philadelphia merchant Samuel Miles in this striking 1800 portrait. Notice the dramatic red curtain sweeping in from the top right—it's a classic neoclassical trick to make the subject look important and dignified against the dark background. Miles sports a high white cravat with delicate lace ruffles and a somber black coat, looking off to the side with a serious expression that suggests he's a man of serious business. Stuart was a master at capturing personality, and here he makes Miles look like exactly the kind of guy you'd want running a shipping empire in early America.
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