James Beekman Jr. (1758–1837)

This is one of six portraits of the Beekman children that their father, New York merchant James Beekman, commissioned in 1767. Like those of the other family members, the portrait of James Jr., at age nine, relies on poses and motifs from English mezzotints and includes an animal that symbolizes his character.

James Jr. is accompanied by a squirrel. This animal formed a common pet during colonial times: an eighteenth-century encyclopedia notes that “Boys frequently nurse this beautiful and active animal.” Unlike dogs, squirrels were not born and bred as fully domesticated house pets but were instead brought into a civilized state through training and thus demanded time and patience from their owners. The inclusion of a squirrel perched on James Jr.’s arm attests to his success at domesticating the wild animal. And the squirrel itself—engaged in the work of extracting meat from a nut—underscores the value of patience, perseverance, and diligence.

James Jr.’s clothing, which is more ornate than that of his siblings, may reflect his recent “breeching.” This stood as an important rite of passage for young boys, when they would begin to wear knee breeches and dress in men’s clothing.

All six portraits of the Beekman children bear elaborately carved and gilded frames by the New York carver James Strachan, which are superior examples of rococo ornament, a style all the rage among the American colonial elite during the mid-eighteenth century. The children’s portraits, as well as those of James Beekman and his wife, remained in the Beekman family until presented to the New-York Historical Society through the Beekman Family Association in 1962.