American Revolutionary War Painters and Their Politics

We’ll explore five of the most prominent American artists during our Revolutionary War; their artistic contributions, as well as their involvement with the politics of the time. Although Benjamin West spent the period of the war in London, he trained and inspired three generations of American artists. While John Singleton Copley tried to take a bipartisan approach during the war, Charles Wilson Peale was an exemplary patriot and served under George Washington. Gilbert Stuart, a Loyalist, spent the war in Great Britain, yet with his return in 1793, his paintings of George Washington became icons of the Revolutionary War. We’ll complete our study with John Trumbull, personal aide to Washington, who has been referred to as The Painter of the Revolution.

About the presenter:

Martha Chiarchiaro has brought history to life through the art of the times for more than 30 years. She received her Masters’ degree in the History of Art from Williams College and provides a variety of art history presentations at the Worcester Art Museum, for WISE (the Worcester Institute for Senior Education), garden clubs, libraries, senior centers, and other organizations. As noted on her Seeing History website, Martha's specialty presentations related to specific periods, artists, and activities provide an in-depth look at the life and times of people through their art.

Registration is Requested

This event is sponsored by The Friends of the Cohasset Library