Benjamin Hazard Field
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of International Business Machines Corporation
Accession Number
1966.80.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Benjamin Hazard Field** (1887) by Daniel Huntington is a striking male portrait that captures the essence of late 19th-century American. Huntington, a prominent figure in American art and former president of the National Academy Design, specialized in realistic, academic-style portraits that conveyed dignity and character. Painted in oil—a medium favored for its rich textures and luminous effects—this work exemplifies the tradition of commemorative portraiture, often commissioned to honor influential individuals. Completed in 1887, the portrait likely depicts Benjamin Hazard Field during th...
About the Artist
Daniel Huntington · 1816–1906
Daniel Huntington (1816–1906) was born into a prominent New York family on October 4, 1816, descending from distinguished New England lineage. His early education began at age fourteen at Smith's Academy in New Haven, followed by Yale College, where he studied with Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor, artist, and president of the National Academy of Design, in 1835. After a disciplinary incident invo...