Thomas Jefferson
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Accession Number
NPG.79.16
Tags
Art Historical Context
This 1801 print by William Harrison, Jr., captures Thomas Jefferson at a pivotal moment in American history—just as he assumed the presidency. Created the same year Jefferson took office following a contentious election, the portrait highlights his multifaceted identity as a statesman, architect, inventor, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Harrison, active as a printmaker from the late 1790s into the early 19th century, specialized in such images that helped circulate likenesses of national figures to a broader public. As a print rather than a unique painting or drawing, this wor...