James Reid Lambdin (May 10, 1807 – 1889) was an American born artist, famous for many of his portraits of U.S. Presidents. Barratt C. R., & Zabar, L., ''American Portrait Miniatures in the Metropolitan Museum of Art'' ( New Haven:

Yale University Press Yale University Press is the university press of Yale University. It was founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day, and became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but it remains financially and operationally autonomous. , Yale Universi ...

, 2010)
p. 183

Life

Lambdin was born on May 10, 1807, in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. He later studied art in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

for two years (1823–25) under the tutelage of

Thomas Sully Thomas Sully (June 19, 1783November 5, 1872) was a portrait painter in the United States. Born in Great Britain, he lived most of his life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He painted in the style of Thomas Lawrence. His subjects included nation ...

. He is famous for his portraits of U.S. Presidents, including portraits of

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...

and

Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...

. Lambdin became professor of fine arts at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...

. He had one son, George C. Lambdin, born in 1830 in Pittsburgh. In 1839, he was elected into the

National Academy of Design The National Academy of Design is an honorary association of American artists, founded in New York City in 1825 by Samuel Morse, Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, and others "to promote the f ...

as an Honorary Academician.

References

External links

Artwork by James Reid Lambdin

Gallery

Image:William_Henry_Harrison_by_James_Reid_Lambdin,_1835.jpg, Portrait of President

. Image:Zachary_Taylor_2.jpg, Portrait of President

. Image:Willie_p_magnum.jpg, Portrait of

Willie Person Mangum Willie Person Mangum (; May 10, 1792September 7, 1861) was a U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina between 1831 and 1836 and between 1840 and 1853. He was one of the founders and leading members of the Whig party, and was a candidate for ...

, United States Senator. Image:Sarah Hale portrait.jpg, Portrait of

Sarah Josepha Hale Sarah Josepha Buell Hale (October 24, 1788April 30, 1879) was an American writer, activist, and editor of ''Godey's Lady's Book''. She was the author of the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb". Hale famously campaigned for the creation of the ...

, editor of ''

Godey's Lady's Book ''Godey's Lady's Book'', alternatively known as ''Godey's Magazine and Lady's Book'', was an American women's magazine that was published in Philadelphia from 1830 to 1878. It was the most widely circulated magazine in the period before the Civil ...

''. Image:Stephen Girard by JR Lambdin.jpg, Portrait of Stephen Girard, based on an 1832 portrait by Bass Otis. 1807 births 1889 deaths Artists from Pittsburgh 19th-century American painters 19th-century American male artists American male painters University of Pennsylvania faculty Painters from Pennsylvania National Academy of Design members {{US-painter-1800s-stub