Colonel Augustus James Pleasonton
John Neagle·1846
Historical Context
Neagle's portrait of Colonel Augustus James Pleasonton, painted in 1846, depicts a prominent Philadelphia lawyer, army officer, and author who served in the War of 1812 and later became known for his eccentric theory that blue light had miraculous healing properties. Neagle's portrait captures the colonel in his military dignity, reflecting the importance of civic and military portraiture in Philadelphia's cultural life during the antebellum period.
Technical Analysis
Neagle's mature portrait technique renders the colonel's military bearing with characteristic solidity and directness. The careful treatment of the uniform details and decorations demonstrates his skill with costume painting, while the forthright expression captures the sitter's forceful personality.
Provenance
The sitter's son, Alfred Pleasonton, Philadelphia; deposited by him at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia; Francis S. Pleasonton, brother of the previous owner; his son, Eugene S. Pleasonton [d. 1972], New York and Worton, Maryland, by 1923; gift 1957 to NGA.
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