Samuel Smith
1800
Gilbert Stuart, the same artist who painted the famous unfinished portrait of George Washington that ended up on the dollar bill, captured this dashing military figure around 1800. The subject, Samuel Smith, sports a powdered wig and a sharp navy uniform with glittering gold epaulettes, looking every bit the part of a Revolutionary War hero and future U.S. Senator. Stuart was famous for his ability to capture a likeness quickly and with great charm, giving Smith a confident, rosy-cheeked gaze that suggests a man of serious importance. This portrait is a fantastic example of American Neoclassicism, freezing a moment of early American political and military pride with elegant simplicity.