Engraving

Title:

Stephen Decatur

Object Name:

Engraving

Object ID:

2010.501.0308

Creator:

Chappel, Alonzo (1828-1887); Johnson, Fry & Co. Publishers

Place of Origin:

New York City, NY

Date:

1863

Description:

Engraving. Portrait of Commodore Stephen Decatur (1779-1820). 1863. Painted by Alonzo Chappel (1828-1887). Published by Johnson, Fry & Company Publishers, New York. From Evert A. Duyckinck, National Portrait Gallery of Eminent Americans: Including Orators, Statesmen, Naval and Military Heroes, Jurists, Authors, Etc... Vol. II. (New York: Johnson, Fry & Company, 1863). facing page 412. Steel engraving, printed on paper. Full-length portrait of a young man standing. Body facing slightly right and head facing left. Has curly hair, sideburns, clean shaven, military uniform: dark shiny boots, mid calf height with light-colored trim around top edge, with single decoration hanging from front center edge where leather is curved upward. Light-colored tight pants. Dark-colored, long-tailed coat with cuffs with decorative buttons and bands, light-colored lining to coat, long lapels with decorative horizontal bands from waist to collar, epaulets both shoulders, light-colored vest, tall shirt collar with black band around neck and ruffle protruding below that. Fob hanging from underneath vest on his right side. Decoration on side of coat with trim. Narrow belt with light edges around waist over coat, possibly to hold sword. Hands on top of end of telescope that rests on left knee which is raised above deck surface resting on cannon carriage. His hat is folded and lying on capstans behind him. Man is standing on deck of ship. Two masts, part of sail, rigging, coil rope with block on deck. On left of man are two breaches of muzzle-loading cannons with portions of carriages. Heavy line running between the two breaches through loops in metal. Two small pieces of cloth lying over touch holes for cannon. "Stephen Decatur" facsimile signature underneath portrait. Image block is not square nor aligned with paper and narrower at top. Under image at lower left corner "Painted by" and under right corner: "Alonzo Chappel." Under signature in italics: "From the original painting in the possession of the Publishers. / Johnson, Fry & Co. Publishers, New York. / Entered according to act of congress A. D. 1863. by Johnson, Fry & Co. in the clerk's office of the district court of the southern district of New York."

Material:

Paper

Dimensions:

H-10.85 W-8.2 inches

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Collection

People:

Decatur, Stephen (1779-1820), Chappel, Alonzo (1828-1887)

Subjects:

Decatur, Stephen