Primary sourcePainting1850s
Portrait of President Millard Fillmore
Sarah Miriam Peale (attributed) · 1850s
An oil portrait of Fillmore from the 1850s, attributed to Sarah Miriam Peale, held by the U.S. House of Representatives.
An oil portrait depicting Fillmore as president, linking his earlier House career to his presidency.
About this source
What it is
This oil painting portrays Millard Fillmore during his presidential years. It is attributed to the artist Sarah Miriam Peale and dates from the 1850s. It is part of the Collection of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Why it matters
Fillmore served in the House of Representatives in the 1830s and 1840s before becoming president, and this portrait connects his earlier congressional career to his later presidency. A faint curved shadow near the top shows the canvas once had an arched frame, a popular style of the time.
Look closer
- What does Fillmore's expression and posture suggest about how he wanted to be portrayed as president?
- Why might a portrait painter attributed to a woman artist be notable in this period?
- What clues in the painting's condition, like the faint shadow, tell you about its history?
This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Millard Fillmore on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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