Thomas Jefferson by John Trumbull

What it is

This is an oil painting of Thomas Jefferson made by the American artist John Trumbull in 1788, while Jefferson was serving as a diplomat in Paris.

Why it matters

Because Trumbull painted Jefferson in person, this image shows how Jefferson actually looked to someone who knew him, rather than an imagined likeness made long after his death. Trumbull was a well-known painter of the American Revolution era, and his portraits of leading figures are important visual records of how they presented themselves in public life.

Look closer

• What does Jefferson's clothing and pose suggest he wanted viewers to think of him?
• Why might an artist choose to paint a political figure while they were abroad?
• What can't a painted portrait tell us about a person's ideas or actions?