Colonel John Cox

Copied Charles Willson Peale, Colonel John Cox, 1778, watercolor on ivory, sight 1 1⁄2 x 1 1⁄8 in. (3.7 x 3.0 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer, 1999.27.32
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Colonel John Cox
Artist
Date
1778
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 1 1⁄2 x 1 1⁄8 in. (3.7 x 3.0 cm) oval
Credit Line
Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Occupation — military — colonel
  • Portrait male — Cox, John — bust
Object Number
1999.27.32
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1999.27.32

Artwork Description

According to George Washington’s diary, Colonel John Cox sat for the finishing touches on this miniature at Valley Forge on April 23, 1778. At the time, Peale was a captain in the same company. Cox took the oath of allegiance at Valley Forge earlier that year, and served as the company’s assistant quartermaster general. A Philadelphia merchant, Cox owned Batsto Furnace in New Jersey, which produced munitions for the Continental army. Conservation of this miniature was made possible through a generous grant provided by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee.