Frederic De Peyster

Copied George Edwin Bissell, Frederic De Peyster, modeled ca. 1875, bronze, 12 x 11 x 7 in. (30.4 x 27.9 x 17.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Watts De Peyster, XX78
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Frederic De Peyster
Artist
Founder
E. Gruet Jeune
Date
modeled ca. 1875
Location
Dimensions
12 x 11 x 7 in. (30.4 x 27.9 x 17.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of John Watts De Peyster
Mediums
Mediums Description
bronze
Classifications
Subjects
  • Occupation — law — lawyer
  • Occupation — military — colonel
  • Occupation — other — philanthropist
  • Portrait male — De Peyster, Frederic — bust
Object Number
XX78
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/XX78

Artwork Description

Frederic De Peyster (1796-1882) was a graduate of Columbia College and a member of the New York Bar. In 1837 he inherited such a great fortune that he devoted the rest of his life to charitable causes. At the time of his death the “industrious pamphleteer and popular speaker” was president of the New-York Historical Society and the New York Society Library. This animated portrait was commissioned posthumously by the lawyer’s son John. De Peyster’s clenched jaw and furrowed brow convey the determination and integrity noted in memorial tributes at the time of his death.