Nicholas Van Dyke
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Accession Number
S/NPG.74.39.4.14
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Nicholas Van Dyke (1802)** This elegant profile print captures Nicholas Van Dyke, a prominent lawyer, in a striking silhouette rendered with remarkable precision. Created in 1802, during the early years of the American republic, the portrait reflects the era's fascination with personal likenesses among the nation's emerging elite. Van Dyke, associated deeply with Delaware, embodies the legal and civic leaders shaping the young United States, making this a window into Federalist-era society. Artist Charles Balthazar Julienévret de Saint-Mémin, a French émigré who arrived in America fleeing...