Existing comment:
John Trumbull
Portrait of Captain Samuel Blodget in Rifle Drums, ca 1786
Trumbull's portrait celebrates Samuel Blodget at a time when the young American patriot was laying the foundations for his fortune. To present the captain as an intrepid player on history's stage, the artist depicted him in a pose that recalls the antique sculpture Apollo Belvedere and various depictions of Diana the Huntress. The somewhat theatrical portrait may also reflect current trends on the British stage, as the exaggerated dance postures of Italian and French performers were gradually becoming fashionable.
Blodget served in the New Hampshire militia during the Revolutionary War and then earned considerable wealth as a merchant in the East India trade. He next tried his hand at architectural, an interest he shared with Trumbull. Blodget designed the First Bank of the United States, in Philadelphia, which still stands today. He later served as superintendent of building in Washington DC. |