ticketsMember | Make a donation

Patriae Pater

ca. 1850
Not on view
This print is based on Peale's so-called "Porthole Portrait" of Washington, where the bust-length figure is seen through a simulated stone oval. Oak leaves and a mask ornament the frame, while the Latin wordse below evoke an ancient Roman honorary term that translates as Father of the country.The subject's life-like presence contrasts with the stone and his cloak, draped across the opening, brings him closer to us. One version of Peale's oil, painted ca. 1846, is at the MMA (24.109.86); another from ca. 1853 is at the National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Patriae Pater
  • Engraver: Adam B. Walter (American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1820–1875 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Artist: After Rembrandt Peale (American, Bucks County, Pennsylvania 1778–1860 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
  • Publisher: C. N. Robinson (American, born ca. 1790)
  • Publisher: Goupil & Co.
  • Sitter: George Washington (American, 1732–1799)
  • Published in: Philadelphia; Paris; London
  • Date: ca. 1850
  • Medium: Mezzotint with some hand-coloring
  • Dimensions: Plate: 21 13/16 × 17 13/16 in. (55.4 × 45.2 cm)
    Sheet: 25 1/16 × 19 13/16 in. (63.7 × 50.4 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Bequest of Charles Allen Munn, 1924
  • Object Number: 24.90.155
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
A Little Game of Bagatelle, Between Old Abe the Rail Splitter & Little Mac the Gunboat General, John L. Magee American, Lithograph
A Little Game of Bagatelle, Between Old Abe the Rail Splitter & Little Mac the Gunboat General
Multiple artists/makers
1864
The City of New York, in the State of New York, North America [The Birch View with the Picnic Party], Samuel Seymour American, Hand-colored engraving and etching; third state of three
The City of New York, in the State of New York, North America [The Birch View with the Picnic Party]
Multiple artists/makers
[1803] reissued ca. 1820
George Washington, Edward Savage American, Mezzotint, before letters
George Washington
Multiple artists/makers
1801
Nocturne (Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea), James McNeill Whistler American, Lithotint with scraping on a prepared half-tint ground, printed in soft gray-black ink on pale blue laid chine mounted on ivory wove plate paper; second state of two (Chicago)
Nocturne (Nocturne: The Thames at Battersea)
James McNeill Whistler
1878
Nocturne: Palaces, James McNeill Whistler American, Etching and drypoint; printed in dark brown ink on drum mounted medium weight ivory laid paper.
Nocturne: Palaces
James McNeill Whistler
1879–80

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.