Alexander Hamilton

John Trumbull

1792 · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

Alexander Hamilton (1755/57–1804), the first secretary of the US Treasury, was born in the British Caribbean colony of Nevis and later moved to Saint Croix, a Danish colony of sugar plantations fueled by enslaved labor. Hamilton’s early exposure to the networks of transatlantic trade in the West Indies impacted his political philosophy and career. This portrait by Trumbull balances the interests of its sitter and patrons. Merchants wanted to celebrate Hamilton’s civic accomplishments, but he preferred to avoid political imagery. As a result, the canvas depicts the famous statesman as an elite citizen of the new American republic.

Artist

John Trumbull

Date

1792

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Jointly owned by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of Credit Suisse, 2013