Portrait of James Monroe (1758-1831)

John Vanderlyn's natural artistic abilities were nurtured by instruction from Archibald Robertson and Gilbert Stuart and by encouragement, referrals, and financial help from Aaron Burr. The latter particularly gratified the artist's aspirations by sending him to Paris in 1796, making him the first American-born painter to study there. Vanderlyn journeyed abroad again in 1803, when he not only returned to the French capital but also visited England, Switzerland, and Italy. During these travels, he met and formed a lasting friendship with America's special envoy to France, James Monroe (1758-1831), who was in Paris working with Robert Livingston to finalize negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase. Soon afterwards, Monroe took on new duties as America's minister to Britain. In America during the War of 1812, he served partially overlapping stints as secretaries of state and war under James Madison and, during 1817-1825, was America's fifth president. In America in 1816, President Madison and President-elect Monroe ordered portraits of one another from Vanderlyn. When the artist executed the dual commission, he also made several copies of his likeness of Monroe. Monroe himself originally possessed the version of his portrait now owned by The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D. C., whereas Madison first owned the version shown here, which is considered to have been the one done from life. Colonial Williamsburg's picture was included in Dolley Madison's 1851 estate sale, where it was bought by Edward B. Coles, Sr., Madison's private secretary from 1809 until 1815. It then descended in the Coles family until 1946, when it was purchased by Colonial Williamsburg. Learn more at the link below.