• A Hartford Family
    Unknown
    portraits
    likeness
    painting
    This painting by an unknown artist is a portrait of a family relaxing in their lounge or parlor, circa 1840-1850. Members of the family of five sit about, playing the piano, working on needlepoint, and playing with the family dog. In the back, a young African American girl serves the mother.
  • Capitol, Washington
    Unknown
    U.S. Capitol
    Washington, D.C.
    engraving
    This oil on tin painting by an unknown artist is replicated from a steel engraving by William Henry Bartlett. The painting is an early representation of the United States Capitol with a dusty, bare ground surrounding it. Builders, planners, and passersby are scattered across the foreground.
  • Watercolor of the White House's South Grounds
    Unknown
    south view
    This watercolor painted in 1827 by an anonymous artist, depicts the White House and its grounds from the southwest. The watercolor shows the recently built South Portico, constructed in 1824 during the Monroe administration, Thomas Jefferson’s stone walls, workers’ cottages, an orchard, and President John Quincy Adam's tree nursery.
  • Clark Mills, the Sculptor
    Unknown
    portrait
    This engraving of artist Clark Mills is undated. It shows the self-taught sculptor who was commissioned by the Jackson Monument Committee to create the Andrew Jackson equestrian statue in 1848;it was dedicated in 1853 in Lafayette Square. He made his casting in a temporary foundry on the Ellipse. It was the first bronze statue cast in the United States and weighs 15 tons. There, with the help of his enslaved apprentice Phillip Reid, he also cast an equestrian statue of George Washington that stands in Washington Circle on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.
  • Marquis de Lafayette
    Unknown
    bust
    This bust of the Marquis de Lafayette was given to President James Monroe by the Marquis after his 1824-1825 visit to America. A French aristocrat, Lafayette is renowned for his allegiance with the United States during the American Revolutionary War and his friendships with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton, among others. Lafayette's 1824-1825 visits to the White House and to Washington, D.C. were among the highlights of his triumphal tour of the United States, as people honored the last surviving French general of the Revolutionary War and one of the last remaining living links to the Revolutionary Era.
  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau
    Unknown
    sculpture
    This marble bust depicts French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. President James Monroe brought this bust back from France after he served as the United States Minister to France there. Rousseau along with other French Enlightenment philosophers were significant influences on Monroe and many of the other Founding Fathers.
  • Voltaire
    Unknown
    sculpture
    This marble bust depicts French philosopher François-Marie Arouet, known by his pen name Voltaire. President James Monroe brought this bust back from France after he served as the United States Minister to France there. Voltaire along with other French Enlightenment philosophers were significant influences on Monroe and many of the other Founding Fathers.
  • L'Enfant Profile
    Unknown
    portrait
    This is a bas-relief profile of Pierre Charles L'Enfant. L'Enfant, born in France, was an architect and civil engineer credited with designing and planning the city of Washington, D.C. L'Enfant came to the United States to fight in the Revolutionary War before overseeing the development of the city, which included a "public walk", now known as the National Mall.
  • Defeat of the English Boat Guerriere by the American Boat Constitution
    Unknown
    seascapes
    War of 1812
    ships
    painting
    This seascape was done by an unknown artist. The painting depicts the victory of the USS Constitution over the HMS Guerriere on August 19, 1812. The painting shows the Guerriere with broken masts and smoke and fire consuming the defeated ship.
  • Boy Resting in the Woods
    Unknown
    landscapes
    painting
    This painting of two boys resting under the shade of trees at the bend of a river was done by an unknown artist around 1900.
  • Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert de Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
    Unknown
    sculpture
    busts
    likeness
    American Revolution
    This plaster bust by an unknown artist is of the Marquis de Lafayette around 1930. A French aristocrat, Lafayette is renowned for his allegiance with the United States during the American Revolutionary War and his friendships with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton, among others. Lafayette's 1824-1825 visits to the White House and to Washington, D.C. were among the highlights of his triumphal tour of the United States, as people honored the last surviving French general of the Revolutionary War and one of the last remaining living links to the Revolutionary Era.
  • Horatio Nelson
    Unknown
    sculpture
    busts
    likeness
    This bust of Horatio Nelson was done by an unknown artist. Horatio Nelson was a British hero of the Napoleonic Wars who died victorious at the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805. The bust is dated 1905, the centennial of Nelson's victory.
  • Richard Henry Shaw
    Unknown
    portraits
    watercolor
    likeness
    War of 1812
    This watercolor painting on ivory of Richard Henry Shaw was done by an unknown English artist. Shaw was a member of the King's Own Royal Regiment (Fourth Regiment of Foot) and participated in the invasion of Washington in 1814.
  • Miss Kennedy
    Unknown
    silhouettes
    portraits
    likeness
    This ink silhouette on paper of an unidentified "Miss Kennedy" was done by an unknown artist around 1840-1850. Miss Kennedy's features and attire are drawn on the silhouette in white. Silhouette portraits were fashionable and readily available throughout Europe and the United States in the 1800s.
  • Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
    Unknown
    medallions
    likeness
    American Revolution
    This glass and sulphide medallion of the Marquis de Lafayette was done by an unknown artist around 1850. A French aristocrat, Lafayette is renowned for his allegiance with the United States during the American Revolutionary War and his friendships with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton, among others. Lafayette's 1824-1825 visits to the White House and to Washington, D.C. were among the highlights of his triumphal tour of the United States, as people honored the last surviving French general of the Revolutionary War and one of the last remaining living links to the Revolutionary Era.
  • Laying of the Atlantic Cable
    Unknown
    seascapes
    painting
    ships
    technology
    This seascape was done by an unknown artist around 1850. The painting depicts a ship from the Atlantic Telegraph company presumably laying the telegraph cable between Ireland and Newfoundland, Canada that connected the North America to Europe. The original cable was finished in 1858.
  • Benjamin Franklin
    Unknown
    sculpture
    busts
    likeness
    American Revolution
    This bronze bust of Benjamin Franklin was done by an unknown artist around 1820. Franklin's head and shoulders rest on a tall, doric column. Franklin was a renowned author, inventor and philosopher who was also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He also served as the representative of the United States in France during the Revolutionary War. In the early to mid 19th century, establishment of a republican government in the U.S. patterned on Greek and Roman principles helped spur a revival of interest in classical forms and ideas in the fine arts.
  • View of the Harbor at Canton
    Unknown
    cityscapes
    China
    ships
    painting
    flags
    This painting of the harbor at Canton, perhaps the province or city in southern China, was done by an unknown artist around 1847-1856. The bustling port is full of ships and cargo, with a building flying American and French flags, among others, shown on the right side.
  • Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
    Unknown
    portraits
    American Revolution
    likeness
    This oil on glass portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette was done by an unknown artist in the early 19th century. A French aristocrat, Lafayette is renowned for his allegiance with the United States during the American Revolutionary War and his friendships with George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton, among others. His 1824-1825 visits to the White House and to Washington, D.C. were among the highlights of his triumphal tour of the United States, as people honored the last surviving French general of the Revolutionary War and one of the last remaining living links to the Revolutionary Era.
  • View of the Harbor of Hong Kong
    Unknown
    Hong Kong
    cityscapes
    ships
    painting
    This painting showing the Hong Kong harbor was done by an unknown artist around 1847-1856. This distant view includes large ships in the foreground, with the city itself clinging to the hills rising in the background of the canvas.
  • Unidentified Subject - Female
    Unknown
    silhouettes
    portraits
    likeness
    This silhouette of an unidentified woman was done by an unknown artist in the early 19th century. Silhouette portraits were fashionable and readily available throughout Europe and the United States in the 1800s.
  • View of Hong Kong
    Unknown
    cityscapes
    Hong Kong
    painting
    ships
    This painting is a view of Hong Kong by an unknown artist around 1853. This distant view includes large ships in the foreground, with the city itself clinging to the hills rising in the background of the canvas. The hills move in a chain across the canvas, receding to the left. It was acquired for the White House Collection by the White House Historical Association in 1973.
  • Unidentified Subject - Male
    Unknown
    silhouettes
    portraits
    likeness
    This silhouette of an unidentified man was done by an unknown artist in the early 19th century. Silhouette portraits were fashionable and readily available throughout Europe and the United States in the 1800s.
  • View of Macao
    Unknown
    cityscapes
    China
    painting
    ships
    This painting is a view of the Chinese city of Macao, or Macau, by an unknown artist from around 1853. The waterfront curves to the left with neat buildings arranged along the water's edge, while numerous boats come and go and people walk along the road. It was acquired for the White House Collection by the White House Historical Association in 1973.
  • Unidentified Subject - Male
    Unknown
    silhouettes
    portraits
    likeness
    This silhouette of an unidentified man was done by an unknown artist in the early 19th century. Silhouette portraits were fashionable and readily available throughout Europe and the United States in the 1800s.