The Old House of Representatives 1823

This is Samuel Morse's "The Old House of Representatives," made with oil on canvas. Morse trained in London with the American painter Washington Allston, and it shows; this is highly competent representational painting. But there's more to consider here than just academic skill. Think about the making process. Laying down the paint, Morse carefully constructed an image of political power. Consider how much labor went into a painting of this scale, depicting so many figures. The finished artwork is a product of hours of painstaking work, from stretching the canvas to applying the final touches of varnish. Morse's painting is a manufactured object, no less than the building it depicts. The painting offers insight into the social and political context of early 19th-century America. Morse, who would later invent the telegraph, was deeply embedded in the world of technological advancement. We can see how his work as an artist intersected with his interest in communication and innovation. This painting, then, is not just a historical record, but a testament to the complex interplay of art, labor, and technology in shaping American identity.