Chief Justice Theophilus Parsons

Gilbert Stuart, Sarah Goodridge, Chief Justice Theophilus Parsons, ca. 1820, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore, 1950.4.39
Copied Sarah Goodridge, Gilbert Stuart, Chief Justice Theophilus Parsons, ca. 1820, watercolor on ivory, sight 2 3⁄4 x 2 1⁄8 in. (7.0 x 5.4 cm) rectangle, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore, 1950.4.39
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Chief Justice Theophilus Parsons
Artists
Attributed to Sarah Goodridge
Copy after Gilbert Stuart
Date
ca. 1820
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 2 3⁄4 x 2 1⁄8 in. (7.0 x 5.4 cm) rectangle
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Highlights
Subjects
  • Occupation — law — chief justice
  • Portrait male — Parsons, Theophilus — bust
Object Number
1950.4.39
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1950.4.39

Artwork Description

A leading lawyer in New England, Theophilus Parsons (1750-1813) wrote the Essex Report, which outlined many of the principles for a republican form of government. He helped to draft the Massachusetts state constitution, and also worked to have the federal Constitution ratified. Parsons served as chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court from 1806 to 1813. Considered somewhat eccentric, Parsons was often accompanied by his wife, who made sure her husband dressed well and looked presentable. His eccentricities did not compromise his judicial decisions, however, and his law clerks included John Quincy Adams, future sixth president of the United States, who practiced with Parsons after graduating from law school.