James Wilson
ca. 1792
Medium
Painting-Miniature
Classification
Painting-Miniature
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Catherine Walden Myer Fund
Accession Number
1952.3.3
Tags
About this artwork
James Wilson (1742-1798) was a famous American statesman, lawyer, Supreme Court justice, and land speculator. He was born in Carskerdo, Scotland, and immigrated in 1766 to the colonies. He settled in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he practiced law. He promoted the idea that the British parliament held no authority over the colonies, and in 1775 was elected to the Second Continental Congress and penned his signature on the Declaration of Independence. He served a second term in Congress from 1785 ...