Men of Progress

Object Details

Artist

Christian Schussele, 16 Apr 1824 - 1879

Sitter

William Thomas Green Morton, 9 Aug 1819 - 15 Jul 1868

James Bogardus, 14 Mar 1800 - 13 Apr 1874

Samuel Colt, 19 Jul 1814 - 10 Jan 1862

Cyrus Hall McCormick, 15 Feb 1809 - 13 May 1884

Joseph Saxton, 22 Mar 1799 - 26 Oct 1873

Charles Goodyear, 29 Dec 1800 - 1 Jul 1860

Peter Cooper, 12 Feb 1791 - 4 Apr 1883

Jordan Lawrence Mott, 12 Oct 1799 - 1866

Joseph Henry, 17 Dec 1797 - 13 May 1878

Eliphalet Nott, 25 Jun 1773 - 29 Jan 1866

John Ericsson, 31 Jul 1803 - 8 Mar 1889

Frederick Ellsworth Sickels, 20 Sep 1819 - 8 Mar 1895

Samuel Finley Breese Morse, 27 Apr 1791 - 2 Apr 1872

Henry Burden, 22 Apr 1791 - 19 Jan 1871

Richard March Hoe, 12 Sep 1812 - 7 Jun 1886

Erastus Brigham Bigelow, 2 Apr 1814 - 6 Dec 1879

Isaiah Jennings, 1792 - 1862

Thomas Blanchard, 24 Jun 1788 - 16 Apr 1864

Elias Howe, 9 Jul 1819 - 3 Oct 1867

Exhibition Label

In 1857, the inventor of a coal-burning stove, Jordan Mott, commissioned Christian Schussele to paint this group portrait of nineteen scientists and inventors of the United States who “had altered the course of contemporary civilization.” Schussele represents the group gathered around a table discussing Samuel F. B. Morse’s telegraph device, with other inventions and diagrams scattered about the room. The portrait did not commemorate an actual occasion but was meant to honor national achievement. Schussele began by sketching each figure individually before designing the group composition. In the background, he included a painting of the men’s famed eighteenth-century predecessor, Benjamin Franklin.

Men of Progress pays tribute to the remarkable growth of the U.S. economy by the 1850s. It celebrates the inventions and processes of manufacturing pioneered by men such as Cyrus McCormick, Charles Goodyear, Samuel Colt, Elias Howe, and Joseph Henry, first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

En 1857, el inventor de la estufa de carbón, Jordan Mott, encargó a Christian Schussele este retrato grupal de 19 científicos e inventores de Estados Unidos que “habían alterado el curso de la civilización contemporánea”. Schussele presenta al grupo en torno a una mesa, examinando el telégrafo de Samuel F. B. Morse, con otros inventos y diagramas dispersos por el salón. El retrato no pretendía conmemorar una ocasión real, sino honrar los logros nacionales. Schussele comenzó por esbozar cada figura por separado antes de fijar la composición de grupo. Al fondo incluyó una pintura del célebre antecesor de estos hombres en el siglo XVIII, Benjamin Franklin.

Hombres del progreso rinde tributo al extraordinario crecimiento económico logrado en EE.UU. para la década de 1850. Celebra las invenciones y los procesos de manufactura originados por hombres como Cyrus McCormick, Charles Goodyear, Samuel Colt, Elias Howe y Joseph Henry, primer secretario de la Smithsonian Institution.

Provenance

Jordan Lawrence Mott; Mott family; (M. Knoedler & Co., New York); purchased 21 January 1937 by The A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, Pittsburgh; gift to NGA 1942; transferred 1965 to NPG.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the National Gallery of Art; gift of the A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, 1942

1862

Object number

NPG.65.60

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Painting

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

Stretcher: 128.3 × 190.5 × 5.1 cm (50 1/2 × 75 × 2")

Frame: 162.6 × 225.7 × 12.7 cm (64 × 88 7/8 × 5")

Place

United States\Pennsylvania\Philadelphia\Philadelphia

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Exhibition

Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900

On View

NPG, East Gallery 120

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Interior

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Seating\Chair

Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses

Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table

Equipment\Walking stick\Cane

Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses\Pince-nez

Architecture\Column

Artwork\Portrait

Weapon\Gun\Pistol

Art implements\Architectural drawing

Equipment\Patent model

Isaiah Jennings: Male

Isaiah Jennings: Medicine and Health\Dentist

Isaiah Jennings: Science and Technology\Inventor\Dental

Isaiah Jennings: Science and Technology\Inventor\Firearms

Joseph Henry: Male

Joseph Henry: Arts and Culture\Education and Scholarship\Educator\Professor

Joseph Henry: Science and Technology\Scientist\Physicist

Joseph Henry: Arts and Culture\Education and Scholarship\Administrator\Smithsonian Institution\Secretary of Smithsonian Institution

Elias Howe: Male

Elias Howe: Science and Technology\Inventor\Sewing machine

Elias Howe: Business and Finance\Tradesman\Machinist

William Thomas Green Morton: Male

William Thomas Green Morton: Arts and Culture\Literature\Writer\Medical writer

William Thomas Green Morton: Science and Technology\Inventor\Medical

William Thomas Green Morton: Medicine and Health\Dentist

William Thomas Green Morton: Medicine and Health\Physician\Anaesthetist

Charles Goodyear: Male

Charles Goodyear: Science and Technology\Inventor

Charles Goodyear: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Rubber

Charles Goodyear: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Merchant\Retailer

James Bogardus: Male

James Bogardus: Arts and Culture\Visual Arts\Artist\Medalist

James Bogardus: Science and Technology\Inventor

James Bogardus: Science and Technology\Engineer\Structural engineer

Joseph Saxton: Male

Joseph Saxton: Science and Technology\Inventor

Joseph Saxton: Business and Finance\Tradesman\Clockmaker

Jordan Lawrence Mott: Male

Jordan Lawrence Mott: Arts and Culture\Patron of the arts

Jordan Lawrence Mott: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Merchant

Jordan Lawrence Mott: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Iron

Cyrus Hall McCormick: Male

Cyrus Hall McCormick: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer

Cyrus Hall McCormick: Social Welfare and Reform\Philanthropist

Cyrus Hall McCormick: Science and Technology\Inventor

Cyrus Hall McCormick: Arts and Culture\Education and Scholarship\Historical society administrator\President

Henry Burden: Male

Henry Burden: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Entrepreneur

Henry Burden: Science and Technology\Inventor

Henry Burden: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Iron

Henry Burden: Business and Finance\Tradesman\Metalworker\Ironmaster

Henry Burden: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Shipbuilder

Erastus Brigham Bigelow: Male

Erastus Brigham Bigelow: Science and Technology\Inventor\Loom

Erastus Brigham Bigelow: Arts and Culture\Education and Scholarship\Founder\Technical institute

Samuel Colt: Male

Samuel Colt: Science and Technology\Inventor

Samuel Colt: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Firearms

Thomas Blanchard: Male

Thomas Blanchard: Science and Technology\Inventor

Richard March Hoe: Male

Richard March Hoe: Science and Technology\Inventor\Press

Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Male

Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Science and Technology\Inventor

Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Science and Technology\Engineer\Structural engineer

Frederick Ellsworth Sickels: Science and Technology\Engineer\Civil engineer\Bridge builder

Eliphalet Nott: Male

Eliphalet Nott: Arts and Culture\Education and Scholarship\Administrator\College administrator\President

Eliphalet Nott: Science and Technology\Inventor

Eliphalet Nott: Religion and Spirituality\Clergy\Minister

Peter Cooper: Male

Peter Cooper: Business and Finance\Businessperson

Peter Cooper: Arts and Culture\Education and Scholarship\Founder\School

Peter Cooper: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer

Peter Cooper: Social Welfare and Reform\Philanthropist

Peter Cooper: Science and Technology\Inventor

Peter Cooper: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Iron

John Ericsson: Male

John Ericsson: Science and Technology\Inventor

John Ericsson: Military and Intelligence\Military engineer

John Ericsson: Science and Technology\Engineer\Marine engineer

John Ericsson: Business and Finance\Businessperson\Industrialist\Manufacturer\Shipbuilder

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Male

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Arts and Culture\Visual Arts\Artist\Painter

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Arts and Culture\Visual Arts\Artist\Portraitist

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Arts and Culture\Journalism and Media\Journalist

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Arts and Culture\Visual Arts\Art instructor

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Arts and Culture\Education and Scholarship\Founder\College

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Science and Technology\Inventor

Samuel Finley Breese Morse: Science and Technology\Inventor\Telegraph

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.65.60

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm42807e116-7c29-4206-a45d-dcdfde3b437f