Object Details
- Artist
- John Trumbull, 6 Jun 1756 - 10 Nov 1843
- Former attribution
- Gilbert Stuart, 3 Dec 1755 - 9 Jul 1828
- Sitter
- John Adams, 30 Oct 1735 - 4 Jul 1826
- Exhibition Label
- Of all the Founding Fathers, John Adams was perhaps the most intellectual and accomplished. He helped craft the argument supporting the independence of the Continental Congress and later served on the diplomatic mission that ended the Revolutionary War. As vice president under George Washington, Adams complained that his role was “the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived.” Nevertheless, he used the position as his ticket to the presidency and was elected in 1796 after a bitter campaign against Thomas Jefferson.
- During Adams’s single term as president, political posturing and bickering inhibited him at home, and France’s interference with American commerce created a challenge for him abroad. Adams managed to keep the nation at peace, but he left the White House largely discredited on all sides.
- When Adams was vice president, he had portraits done by the artist John Trumbull, who based this painting on one of those original portraits. Trumbull incorporated the likeness into his depiction of the signing of the Declaration of Independence that is on display in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
- De todos los padres fundadores de Estados Unidos, John Adams fue quizás el más culto e intelectual. Ayudó a formular los argumentos en pro de la independencia del Congreso Continental y formó parte de la misión diplomática que puso fin a la Guerra de Independencia. Como vicepresidente bajo George Washington, Adams se quejó de que el suyo era “el cargo más insignificante jamás concebido por el hombre”. No obstante, utilizó el puesto como vía hacia la presidencia, resultando electo en 1796 luego de una campaña encarnizada contra Thomas Jefferson.
- Durante el único término presidencial de Adams, las polémicas y posturas partidistas restringieron su labor en el ámbito nacional, y la interferencia de Francia en el comercio estadounidense le creó dificultades en el extranjero. Adams logró evitar conflictos bélicos, pero al fin de su mandato estaba en gran medida desacreditado.
- Cuando fue vicepresidente, Adams encargó retratos al artista John Trumbull, quien basó esta pintura en una de aquellas obras originales. Trumbull incorporó esta imagen en su pintura de la firma de la Declaración de Independencia expuesta en la rotunda del capitolio de EE.UU.
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
- 1793
- Object number
- NPG.75.52
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- Stretcher: 65.1 × 54.9 × 2.5cm (25 5/8 × 21 5/8 × 1")
- Frame: 78.7 x 69.2 x 6cm (31 x 27 1/4 x 2 3/8")
- Place
- United States\Pennsylvania\Philadelphia\Philadelphia
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Exhibition
- America's Presidents (Reinstallation September 2017)
- On View
- NPG, South Gallery 240
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- John Adams: Male
- John Adams: Arts and Culture\Literature\Writer
- John Adams: Politics and Government\Government official\Congressman\Continental congressman
- John Adams: Politics and Government\Statesman\Colonial statesman\Signer of Declaration
- John Adams: Politics and Government\Vice-President of US
- John Adams: Politics and Government\Diplomat
- John Adams: Politics and Government\Government official\President of US
- John Adams: Politics and Government\Government official\State Legislator\Massachusetts
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.75.52
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4feaec808-f374-49f6-8a2b-524aac4a19fd
