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- Alexander Hamilton (1755 or 1757-1804)
Modeled circa 1816-1817 in New York City
Alexander Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis, British West Indies. He came to America in 1772, attended King's College (now Columbia University), and wrote pamphlets and newspaper articles defending the patriot cause. When war broke out, Hamilton joined the American Army. He served as an artillery captain, then as aide-de-camp and secretary to General Washington, and fought at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. That same year he was admitted to the New York Bar. He opened a law office in New York City and also involved himself in politics. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and was the only New York delegate to sign the Constitution. With James Madison (q.v.) and John Jay he wrote The Federalist Papers, a series of articles favoring the adoption of the Constitution. President Washington appointed him the first secretary of the treasury in 1789. He served until 1795, then resumed his law practice, but retained some influence in national politics. He supported Thomas Jefferson (q.v.) over Aaron Burr in the presidential election of 1800 and prevented Burr's election as governor of New York in 1804. Burr, angered by Hamilton's thwarting his political ambitions, challenged him to a duel. The two men met at Weehawken, New Jersey, on July 11, 1804; Hamilton was mortally wounded and died the next day.
This is believed to be Browere's earliest surviving sculpture. It is not a life mask (or a death mask, either) but was modeled from a miniature painted in 1794 by his teacher Archibald Robertson.
BibliographyDavid Meschutt, A Bold Experiment: John Henri Isaac Browere's Life Masks of Prominent Americans (Cooperstown, New York: New York State Historical Association, 1988), p. 29.
Artist
John Henri Isaac Browere
(American, 1790 - 1834)
Related Person
Alexander Hamilton
(1755 - 1804)
Alexander Hamilton
Date1816-1817
MediumPlaster
Dimensions10 × 6 5/8 × 3 7/8 in. (25.4 × 16.8 × 9.8 cm)
Object numberN0232.1940
Credit LineCollection of the Fenimore Art Museum. Gift of Stephen C. Clark
Photograph by Richard Walker
Label TextSculpture, "Alexander Hamilton," plaster, John H. I. Browere, 1816-1817.- Alexander Hamilton (1755 or 1757-1804)
Modeled circa 1816-1817 in New York City
Alexander Hamilton was born on the island of Nevis, British West Indies. He came to America in 1772, attended King's College (now Columbia University), and wrote pamphlets and newspaper articles defending the patriot cause. When war broke out, Hamilton joined the American Army. He served as an artillery captain, then as aide-de-camp and secretary to General Washington, and fought at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. That same year he was admitted to the New York Bar. He opened a law office in New York City and also involved himself in politics. He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention and was the only New York delegate to sign the Constitution. With James Madison (q.v.) and John Jay he wrote The Federalist Papers, a series of articles favoring the adoption of the Constitution. President Washington appointed him the first secretary of the treasury in 1789. He served until 1795, then resumed his law practice, but retained some influence in national politics. He supported Thomas Jefferson (q.v.) over Aaron Burr in the presidential election of 1800 and prevented Burr's election as governor of New York in 1804. Burr, angered by Hamilton's thwarting his political ambitions, challenged him to a duel. The two men met at Weehawken, New Jersey, on July 11, 1804; Hamilton was mortally wounded and died the next day.
This is believed to be Browere's earliest surviving sculpture. It is not a life mask (or a death mask, either) but was modeled from a miniature painted in 1794 by his teacher Archibald Robertson.
BibliographyDavid Meschutt, A Bold Experiment: John Henri Isaac Browere's Life Masks of Prominent Americans (Cooperstown, New York: New York State Historical Association, 1988), p. 29.
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