The House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is an 1822 history painting by the American artist Samuel Morse. It depicts a session of the United States House of Representatives, in a chamber designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe.[1]

The House of Representatives
ArtistSamuel Morse
Year1822
TypeOil on canvas, history painting
Dimensions220.7 cm × 331.8 cm (86.9 in × 130.6 in)
LocationNational Gallery of Art, Washington

Morse, known as an inventor as well as a painter, had spent several years in England studying before returning home in 1815 following the War of 1812. He captures the scene during the Era of Good Feelings.[2] In 1823 Morse exhibited the painting in several cities, drawing critical praise but making little money from public admissions.[3] Today it is in the National Gallery of Art in Washington.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Kreingold p.69
  2. ^ Kelley p.201
  3. ^ Dearinger p.402
  4. ^ https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.166463.html

Bibliography

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  • Dearinger, David. Paintings and Sculpture in the Collection of the National Academy of Design: 1826-1925. Hudson Hills, 2004.
  • Kelley, Robert Lloyd. The Shaping of the American Past: To 1877. Prentice-Hall, 1982.
  • Kreingold, Paul. Potomac Marble: History of the Search for the Ideal Stone. Arcadia Publishing, 2023.
  • Snow, Peter. When Britain Burned the White House: The 1814 Invasion of Washington. Hachette UK, 2013.