American Captain of Artillery, 1789
Watercolor on ivory, 1¾ x 1½ inches, initialed and dated: ‘IP/1789’; within original rose gold case.
A superb Peale miniature of an American artillery officer, wearing a scarlet-faced, blue uniform featuring gilded buttons and a “rise-and-fal” cape or collar, with gilt bullion epaulette. The single epaulette on the right shoulder denotes the rank of captain, while the cut of the uniform is that at the peak of military fashion for the year 1789. The unidentified sitter is most likely an officer in the US Battalion of Artillery, although possibly a militia artillery officer from one of the thirteen original states. However, he could be a former Continental Artillery officer who chose to have himself painted in that uniform, updated in fashion from the Revolutionary War as commonly done by the Peales and Trumbull during the Federal era. James Peale, a former Continental Army officer himself and the younger brother of artist Charles Willson Peale, was an accomplished painter of portraits, landscapes and still lives in oil, but is best known for his fine portrait miniatures. He is considered one of the most accomplished miniature painters in America during the Federal era.
Item #113Price: $8,750.00