History Comes Alive - Charles Willson Peale

Sponsored by America250PA and the Charles Knox & Margaret Etner Foundation

Painter, soldier, scientist, inventor, politician and naturalist, Charles Willson Peale could truly be considered one of the founding generation’s greatest Renaissance Men. He was motivated by a seemingly endless curiosity including carpentry, dentistry, optometry, shoemaking, taxidermy, and painting. It was his love of art would take him to Europe where he studied under arguably the best painter of the times, American ex-patriot, Benjamin West. Unlike his mentor though, Peale believed in the great promise and possibilities of the New World and his home country in America. He returned to the Colonies, joined General Washington’s Army to help win American Independence, and after the War immortalized in portraiture many of our founding fathers and mothers. Peale’s catalog of work is one of the most complete collections of “Who’s who” of the Founding Generation and one of the most important lasting…