This portrait of Thomas Jefferson was painted by John Trumbull in 1788, in the wake of the American Revolution and just before George Washington became the first president of the United States. Trumbull originally visited Jefferson in Paris, where he served as minster to France, and painted his portrait directly into a painting depicting the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Trumbull copied this individual portrait from that painting. This portrait was later part of the National Gallery of Art's June 5-September 6, 1976 exhibition, The Eye of Thomas Jefferson, and was then given to the White House Collection as a bicentennial gift by the Italian government. The author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson served as president from March 4, 1801 until March 4, 1809.