Zachary Taylor and William Bliss

Object Details

Artist

Unidentified Artist

Sitter

William Wallace Smith Bliss, 7 Sept 1815 - 5 Aug 1853

Zachary Taylor, 24 Nov 1784 - 9 Jul 1850

Exhibition Label

Born Orange County, Virginia

Nicknamed “Old Rough and Ready” for his unpolished demeanor and his courage under fire, General Zachary Taylor was a seasoned commander by 1846, when hostilities erupted between the United States and Mexico. Taylor’s decisive victories at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterrey, and Buena Vista earned him popular recognition as the hero of the Mexican-American War and propelled him to victory in the 1848 presidential election. Eager to unify the nation, Taylor instead contributed to sectional tensions by adamantly opposing the extension of slavery into the western territories. He died unexpectedly in 1850 after only sixteen months in office.

Zachary Taylor posed for this portrait with William W.S. Bliss (1815–1853), who served as the general’s chief of staff during the Mexican-American War. A West Point graduate and a trusted aide, Bliss married Taylor’s youngest daughter, Betty, in 1848, and later served as the president’s private secretary. This daguerreotype, which is a vintage copy of an unlocated original, lacks some of the clarity and contrast typical of a life portrait.

Nacido en Orange County, Virginia

Apodado “Old Rough and Ready” (rudo pero efectivo) por su modales toscos y su valentía en el campo de batalla, el general Zachary Taylor era ya un líder experimentado en 1846, cuando estallaron las hostilidades entre Estados Unidos y México. Sus decisivas victorias en Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterrey y Buena Vista lo dieron a conocer como el héroe de la llamada Guerra entre Estados Unidos y México, impulsándolo hacia el triunfo en las elecciones presidenciales de 1848. Deseoso de unificar a la nación, Taylor terminó sin embargo por agudizar las tensiones divisorias con su férrea oposición a la extensión de la esclavitud hacia los territorios del oeste. Murió súbitamente en 1850, a solo dieciséis meses de haber accedido a la presidencia.

Zachary Taylor posó para este retrato junto a William W.S. Bliss (1815–1853), quien le había servido como jefe de estado mayor durante la guerra con México. Bliss, egresado de West Point, gozaba de la confianza de Taylor y en 1848 contrajo matrimonio con la hija menor de este, Betty, pasando luego a ser el secretario privado del presidente. Este daguerrotipo, copia antigua de un original extraviado, carece de la claridad y el contraste típicos de los retratos tomados del natural.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; partial gift of the Quaker Oats Company

c. 1848

Object number

NPG.77.142

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Photograph

Medium

Quarter-plate daguerreotype, copy plate

Dimensions

Image/Sight: 9 × 6.6 cm (3 9/16 × 2 5/8")

Mat (brass): 10.8 × 8.3 cm (4 1/4 × 3 1/4")

Case open: 12.2 × 19.8 × 1 cm (4 13/16 × 7 13/16 × 3/8")

Case closed: 12.2 × 9.8 × 1.8 cm (4 13/16 × 3 7/8 × 11/16")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Exhibition

Family Ties

On View

NPG, East Gallery 134

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Personal Attribute\Facial Hair\Beard

Costume\Dress Accessory\Neckwear\Tie\Bowtie

Interior\Studio\Photography

Cased object

William Wallace Smith Bliss: Male

Zachary Taylor: Male

Zachary Taylor: Politics and Government\President of US

Zachary Taylor: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\War of 1812 army officer

Zachary Taylor: Military and Intelligence\Army\Officer\Mexican War army officer

Zachary Taylor: Congressional Gold Medal

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.77.142

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm407bb3f1e-1483-462a-9600-90aa44771696