Object Details
- Artist
- Angelica Kauffmann, 30 Oct 1741 - 5 Nov 1807
- Sitter
- John Morgan, 10 Jun 1735 - 15 Oct 1789
- Exhibition Label
- Born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- In 1765, John Morgan cofounded a medical school in Philadelphia, the first in the American colonies. That same year, he published a plan for establishing other institutions for training physicians and professionalizing medicine. Morgan had first worked as a military surgeon on the western frontier during the French and Indian War (1754–63). He later pursued an advanced medical degree at Edinburgh University in Scotland.
- During the Revolutionary War (1775–83), Morgan served two years as the director general of the Hospital of the Army. In this position, he confronted daunting challenges, including an outbreak of smallpox and infighting among army officials who were unaccustomed to a centralized medical service.
- This portrait was made by noted Swiss-born artist Angelica Kauffmann in Rome during Morgan’s visit there in 1764.
- Nacido en Filadelfia, Pensilvania
- En 1765, John Morgan cofundó una escuela de medicina en Filadelfia, la primera de las colonias americanas. Ese mismo año publicó un plan para establecer otras instituciones a fin de entrenar médicos y profesionalizar dicha práctica. Morgan había sido cirujano militar en la frontera occidental durante la Guerra Franco-Indígena (1754–63). Luego obtuvo un título médico avanzado en la Universidad de Edimburgo, Escocia.
- Durante la Guerra de Independencia (1775–83), Morgan fue director general del Hospital del Ejército por dos años. En este puesto confrontó enormes retos, incluido un brote de viruela y peleas entre los oficiales que no estaban acostumbrados a un servicio médico centralizado.
- Angelica Kauffmann, notable artista nacida en Suiza, hizo este retrato en Roma durante una visita de Morgan en 1764.
- Provenance
- Washington County Historical Society, Washington, Pa.; (Kennedy Galleries, New York); purchased 1978 NPG
- Compiled by the Frick Art Reference Library: Descended in family to David T. Morgan; his sister, Loretta T. Morgan [Mrs. Watson]; her son, David T. Watson; his sister, Mrs. Andrew G. Happer; to Washington County Historical Society
- Credit Line
- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; this acquisition was made possible by a generous contribution from the James Smithson Society
- 1764
- Object number
- NPG.78.221
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- Frame: 144.1 x 108.3 x 5.7cm (56 3/4 x 42 5/8 x 2 1/4")
- See more items in
- National Portrait Gallery Collection
- Exhibition
- Out of Many: Portraits from 1600 to 1900
- On View
- NPG, East Gallery 140
- National Portrait Gallery
- Topic
- Printed Material\Book
- Costume\Jewelry\Ring
- Interior\Interior with Exterior View
- Printed Material\Newspaper
- Home Furnishings\Furniture\Table
- Costume\Robe\Banyan
- John Morgan: Male
- John Morgan: Medicine and Health\Physician
- John Morgan: Literature\Writer\Medical
- Portrait
- Record ID
- npg_NPG.78.221
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm497c62c31-b8ee-4305-b1f5-f9fd59a43f53
