Portrait of James Madison (1751-1836)

Date1804

Artist Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828) (1755-1825)

OriginAmerica, District of Columbia, Washington

MediumOil on twill weave canvas (25 threads per inch) in gilded wood frame

DimensionsUnframed: 29 1/2 x 24 9/16in. (74.9 x 62.4cm) and Framed: 36 1/8 x 31 3/8 x 2 5/16in.

Credit LineGift of Mrs. George S. Robbins

Object number1945-23,A

DescriptionA half-length portrait of a seated man turned one quarter towards the viewer's right. His near (proper right) arm rests on the arm of his chair, leaving that hand visible. His proper left arm drops down, the hand not shown. He sits in a square-backed, upholstered, open arm chair. The sitter's curly hair is white around his face, the lower part darker and graying; it falls loosely at the sides to about ear length but is caught up and tied in a que at the back. He has a high forehead and receding hairline. He wears a white ruffled shirt, white neckcloth, and black coat with upturned collar. Vaguely defined drapery fills the left side of the composition and the background behind the sitter's head. At far right, papers and books on shelving are visible.

The 3 3/4-inch, gilded, modern reproduction frame on the picture was made specifically for it in 2010. It duplicates the original frame on Stuart's companion portrait of Dolley Madison (which is owned by the White House). The flat sight edge is outlined with beading, followed by a stick-and-ribbon motif enclosed in a scoop. The outer edge bears leaf-and-tongue ornament.

Label TextThe Constitutional Convention of May 25-September 17, 1787, supposedly convened in order to revise the existing, problematic Articles of Confederation. But Virginia delegate James Madison was among those who perceived the need for more than revision; he argued persuasively for a new form of government. As principal author of the U. S. Constitution, he demonstrated his mastery of political and economic history, basing his proposals on solid experience rather than fashionable but untested theories. The durabiity and flexibility of the final document attest to his knowledge, skill, and breadth of vision. Today, he is familiarly known as the "father of the Constitution."

Madison enjoyed a close friendship with Thomas Jefferson (`743-1826) and shared many of his political views, so it came as no surprise when the 1800 president-elect chose Madison as his secretary of state. It was in that capacity that Madison sat for this portrait by Gilbert Stuart. (Later, during 1809-1817, Madison served as America's fourth president.)

Historians generally agree that the subject's solemn countenance, static pose, and the papers and rows of bound volumes behind him effectively convey Madison's serious, introspective nature. Nevertheless, a faint smile and slightly elevated near eyebrow enliven his features, while the sparkle and verve of the knot of his white neck cloth typify the artist's flashy brushwork.

Stuart painted both James and his wife, Dolley Madison (1768-1849), from life in 1804, creating companion portraits that complement one another in pose, format, and coloration. Dolley spirited the two paintings out of the White House when the British advanced on the city, burning a great deal of it, during the War of 1812. Afterwards, the pictures hung at Montpelier, the couple's home in Orange County, Virginia. Soon after Dolley's death, however, they were separated. Madison's secretary, Edward Coles, bought James's portrait, while Dolley's went to her niece, Ann Payne. Today, Dolley's portrait hangs at the White House. Of the pair, only hers retains its original frame, but the kind agreement of the White House, a modern copy of her frame now encloses James's likeness.

In all, Stuart rendered four portraits of James Madison, but of those, Colonial Williamsburg's version is the only one done from life.

ProvenanceFrom the subject to his wife, Mrs. James Madison (Dolley Payne)(1768-1849); in or by 1851, to Edward Coles, Sr. (1786-1868), of Philadelphia, Pa.; to his son, Edward Coles, Jr. (1837-1906), of Philadelphia, Pa.; to his daughter, Mrs. George S. Robbins (Virginia C. Coles)(d. 1947), of Haverford, Pa., who donated the portrait to CWF in 1945.