Samuel Griffin c. 1809

William Dunlap painted this portrait of Samuel Griffin with oil on canvas sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Dunlap, often regarded as the "Father of the American Theater," offers us more than just a likeness. He paints Griffin in the trappings of a gentleman, of someone who has the leisure to sit and read. The book on the table and the spectacles in Griffin's hand intimate intellectual pursuits, yet the very setting speaks to a certain class and status. It is a testament to the social structures of early America, where portraiture was often a declaration of one's position in society. It's interesting to consider that the artist, Dunlap, lived a life deeply intertwined with the cultural and political dialogues of his time. Dunlap's work wasn't just about capturing a person's appearance; it was about embedding them in a narrative, a history that spoke to their identity and place in a burgeoning nation.