Thomas Jefferson

About this artwork

Born Shadwell, Virginia

Art Historical Context

This lithographic portrait of Thomas Jefferson, created around 1828 by French artist Nicolas Eustache Maurin (1799–1850), captures the third U.S. President in a dignified bust format shortly after his death in 1826. Maurin, a skilled exponent of lithography—an innovative printing technique that allowed for detailed, mass-reproducible images—produced this work as part of a series honoring prominent Americans. Displayed with symbols like an inkwell, quill, books, papers, and a table, it evokes Jefferson's multifaceted life as a writer, statesman, and intellectual. The portrait highlights Jefferson's extraordinary achievements: born in Shadwell, Virginia, he was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, Virginia congressman, minister to France, Secretary of State, Vice President, and President (1801–1809). Tags also nod to his roles as architect (of Monticello and the University of Virginia), farmer, lawyer, and inventor, reflecting the Enlightenment ideals he embodied—reason, innovation, and republican virtue. As a print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, this artwork democratized access to Jefferson's likeness in the early 19th century, fostering national pride and cultural memory. It stands as a testament to how visual reproductions preserved the legacies of Founding Fathers for everyday Americans.