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John Marshall, 1755-1835
When the venerable John Marshall posed for William James Hubard -- a silhouette artist lately turned to oil painting -- he had been chief justice of the United States for some three decades. The momentous decisions firmly establishing the judiciary as a coequal branch of the government were now behind him. Moving into his late seventies, Marshall contemplated retirement, a time when he would "read nothing but novels and poetry," but a fear that President Andrew Jackson would appoint a successor who would tear the Constitution to shreds had stayed his resignation. Jackson would outlast him, but Marshall's legacy-embodying a strong nationalism and respect for property rights-shaped the future of the country. The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia cracked when tolling his death.
William James Hubard, c 1832 |