Charles Willson Peale: The Undervalued American Genius

If everyone in the world possessed the same insatiable curiosity and faithful dedication Charles Willson Peale did, it would be a very different place. Over the course of his lifetime he was a painter, saddle maker, watchmaker, silversmith, upholsterer, Revolutionary War Soldier, politician, an inventor, an archeologist, taxidermist, a scientist, a dentist, and a family man. Although now less recognizable than most of his contemporaries, such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, he was just as brilliant. Peale was born on April 15th, 1741, in Maryland to Charles and Margaret Peale. His Father was a convicted felon. He had one brother named James. Throughout the course of his life, Peale married three women who altogether bore him seventeen children, nine of whom he named after famous painters. …show more content…
Realizing he had artistic talent, he exchanged a saddle for a few painting lessons from John Hesselius. From there, he continued cultivating his style by studying under Benjamin West for three years. In 1775, he moved to Philadelphia Pennsylvania, where his career as a painter began to flourish. In 1776, he joined the Pennsylvania Militia as a private. His comrades followed him like flies follow dead meat, and he quickly rose to the rank of captain before his enlistment ended in 1777. Some of his famous paintings include The Peale Family (1770-1773) and The Stair Case Group (1795), both oil paintings. He was known for his portraits. Their crisp outlines, careful attention to detail, and accurate portrayal of character added to their memorability. “Peale painted about 1,100 portraits, including sitters such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams” (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Charles Willson