Michael Angelo and Emma Clara Peale
ca. 1826
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
30 x 25 in. (76.2 x 63.5 cm)
Classification
Painting
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Dodge Fund, Dale T. Johnson Fund, and Q, The Overbrook Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Max N. Berry, Barbara G. Fleischman, Mrs. Daniel Fraad, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Lunder, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Martucci, and Erving and Joyce Wolf Gifts, 2000
Accession Number
2000.151
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the heart of the American Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art hangs *Michael Angelo and Emma Clara Pe*, a tender double portrait painted around 1826 by Rembrandt Peale one of America's foremost Neoclassical artists. This oil-on-canvas work, measuring 30 x 25 inches, captures Peale's young son and daughter—namesakes evoking Renaissance masters and family legacy—in a moment of intimate sibling connection. The Peale family, a dynasty of artists and naturalists founded by Rembrandt's father, Charles Willson Peale, embodied the era's Enlightenment ideals, blending art, science, and education through their renowned Philadelphia museum. Rembrandt Peale's mastery shines in the luminous skin tones, finely rendered fabrics, and poised expressions typical of oil portraits, a medium prized for its depth and realism in early 19th-century America. As a leading portraitist who painted presidents like Thomas Jefferson, Peale here turns his discerning eye inward, celebrating domestic life amid the young nation's cultural flowering. This work highlights the shift toward personal, familial subjects in American art, moving beyond formal sitters to evoke warmth and individuality. Acquired in 2000 through generous patrons, the painting offers visitors a glimpse into Peale's world—where artistry intertwined with family pride—reminding us of portraiture's enduring power to humanize history.
About the Artist
Rembrandt Peale · 1778–1860
Comment on works: Portraits