Mr. Benjamin Schaum

About this artwork

Working as a coppersmith in his hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jacob Eichholtz aspired to be a portraitist, eventually giving up his metalwork business to focus on painting by 1811. Despite having essentially no formal training in the medium, Eichholtz progressed quickly, becoming one of the leading portrait painters in Philadelphia and nearby areas. These portraits of the family of Benjamin Schaum (1980.743, 1980.744, and 1980.745), a fellow resident and coppersmith in Lancaster, are exam...

Art Historical Context

**Mr. Benjamin Schaum** (1808–10) is a charming portrait by Jacob Eichholtz, a self-taught Pennsylvania folk artist active in the early American Republic. Painted in oil on a yellow poplar panel—a lightweight, locally sourced wood common in vernacular American art—this intimate work measures just 8¼ × 6⅝ inches, suggesting it was created for private display, perhaps in a family home. Eichholtz, born in 1776, captured the likenesses of merchants, farmers, and craftsmen like Benjamin Schaum, reflecting the rising middle class's desire to commemorate everyday lives amid post-Revolutionary prosperity. Eichholtz's folk style shines through in his straightforward composition and vivid realism, hallmarks of early 19th-century American portraiture outside elite urban centers. The use of oil on panel allowed for rich, durable color and fine detail on a modest support, making such portraits accessible to those beyond the wealthy. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of the Americas department, this piece exemplifies how folk artists democratized portraiture, preserving personal stories from a formative era in U.S. history. Visitors will appreciate its unpretentious warmth—Schaum's direct gaze invites connection across centuries, highlighting art's role in everyday American identity.

About the Artist

Jacob Eichholtz · 1776–1842

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