Francis Alexander (February 3, 1800 – March 27, 1880) was an American portrait-painter.

Biography

Alexander was born in Windham county

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

in February 1800. Brought up on a farm, he taught himself the use of colors, and in 1820 went to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and studied painting with Alexander Robertson. He spent the winters of 1831 and 1832 in Rome. Afterwards, he resided for nearly a decade in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

, where he had considerable vogue, and where he painted a portrait of

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

(1842). In 1840, he was elected to 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, Frederick Styles Agate, Martin E. Thompson, Charles Cushing Wright, Ithiel Town, an ...

as an honorary member. Francis Alexander died in 1881 in

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

Family

Alexander married Lucia Grey Swett in 1836. Their daughter Francesca Alexander was a popular illustrator, author, and translator.

Works

One of Alexander's best portraits is that of Mrs. Fletcher Webster, formerly in the

Boston Museum of Fine Arts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. This romantic portrait, in which the sitter appears swathed in ermine, was deaccessioned from the Museum early in the 20th century and returned to descendants in the Sargent family.

Notes

References

* * Attribution: *

External links

Francis Alexander at American Art Gallery

Museum of Fine Art, Boston
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Francis 1800 births 1880 deaths People from Killingly, Connecticut 19th-century American painters American male painters American portrait painters Painters from Boston American expatriates in Italy 19th-century American male artists