Portrait of General Erastus Root 

Rembrandt Peale painted this portrait of General Erastus Root, most likely in the first decades of the 19th century. Peale was born into one of America's first families of art, but, as with many American artists of that time, he had to balance his aesthetic ambitions with the need to make a living, and portraiture of prominent citizens was his mainstay. Root was a New York lawyer, politician, and general, and this image tells us much about the social structure of the new republic. Note the sitter’s direct gaze and the trappings of status, from his tailored coat to his ruffled shirt. As a celebrated politician and military leader, Root was part of a powerful elite who shaped the politics of the era. But portraits don't simply reflect status; they create it. Root’s commission helped to solidify his position and project his power. To understand the painting’s function, we can look to period newspapers, political pamphlets, and other cultural artifacts. Art is never made in a vacuum.