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Primary sourcePaintingcirca 1837

Portrait of Martin Van Buren

Henry Inman · circa 1837

A portrait of Martin Van Buren painted around the start of his presidency in 1837.

A portrait of Van Buren made around the start of his presidency in 1837.

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Oil painting portrait of an older man with a bald, high forehead and receding dark curly hair at the sides, light blue eyes, reddish sideburns and a slight smile. He wears a dark coat and white collar against a dark background.
Henry Inman, Portrait of Martin Van Buren, circa 1837.

About this source

What it is

This oil painting by Henry Inman shows Martin Van Buren around the time he became president in 1837. It depicts him as an older man with a receding hairline and reddish sideburns, wearing a dark coat.

Why it matters

Painted at the start of his presidency, this portrait shows how Van Buren was presented to the public as he took office. Henry Inman was a notable American portrait artist of the period, and his depictions of political figures helped shape public image during the era.

Look closer

  • What does Van Buren's expression and clothing suggest about how he wanted to be seen as president?
  • Why might a portrait be commissioned at the start of someone's presidency?
  • What is missing from this image that might tell us more about Van Buren's presidency?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Martin Van Buren on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Daguerreotype Portrait of Martin Van Buren

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The Autobiography of Martin Van Buren

Martin Van Buren · 1854–1862 (published 1920)

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1848 Free Soil and Liberty National Conventions

1848

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