Matthew Pratt - Matthew Pratt Self-Portrait - NPG

Matthew Pratt (September 23, 1734 – January 9, 1805) was an American "Colonial Era" artist famous for his portraits of American men and women.

Early life

He was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Province of Pennsylvania, to goldsmith Henry Pratt and Rebecca Claypoole (sister of James Claypoole Sr.). He was the second of eight children born to the Pratts.

Apprenticeship

He was apprenticed to his uncle, artist James Claypoole (a

limner A limner is an illuminator of manuscripts, or more generally, a painter of ornamental decoration. A mention of medieval limners' work appears in the book ''Methods and Materials of Painting'' by Charles Lock Eastlake (1793–1865). United Ki ...

and painter) from 1745 to 1755. He learned different aspects of portrait painting (including business acumen) from Claypoole. In 1764 he escorted his cousin, Betsey Shewell to England for her marriage to the American "

expatriate An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country. However, it may also refer to retirees, artists and ...

" artist

Benjamin West Benjamin West (October 10, 1738 – March 11, 1820) was a British-American artist who painted famous historical scenes such as ''The Death of Nelson (West painting), The Death of Nelson'', ''The Death of General Wolfe'', the ''Treaty of Paris ( ...

. West was gaining a distinguished reputation in England. Pratt stayed on in England for two and a half years as a pupil and colleague to West. It was during this time that he painted one of his best known works '' The American School''.

Back in America

In March 1768 he returned to America.

Charles Willson Peale Charles Willson Peale (April 15, 1741 – February 22, 1827) was an American painter, military officer, scientist, and naturalist. In 1775, inspired by the American Revolution, Peale moved from his native Maryland to Philadelphia, where he set ...

stated that at that time Matthew Pratt had a full-length portrait of

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and a considerable number of other works in progress. It was there that he met

John Singleton Copley John Singleton Copley (July 3, 1738 – September 9, 1815) was an Anglo-American painter, active in both colonial America and England. He was believed to be born in Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay, to Richard and Mary Singleton Copley ...

Marriage and children

In 1760 he married Elizabeth Moore. Their children were: * Henry Charles Pratt (May 14, 1761 – 1838); * Charles Pratt, (September 10, 1763 – August 27, 1764); * Charles Pratt, (February 18, 1769 – August 13, 1770); * Mary Pratt, (July 20, 1771-?); * Thomas Phyle Pratt, (October 1, 1773 – April 12, 1869) * Elizabeth "Eliza" (née Pratt) Kugler, (August 2, 1776-?).

Later life

Pratt announced that he was recently returned from England and Ireland and also New York. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 9, 1805.

Oil paintings – portraits

* The American School – (1765) oil on canvas 36" x 50 1/4" this painting depicts a group of five artists/painters in the London studio of artist

at the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

* Mrs. Elias Boudinot – (1740–1821) oil on canvas * Cadwallader Colden and His Grandson Warren De Lancey – (1772) oil on canvas 50" x 40" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art * Reynold Keen (1769) oil on canvas 30" x 25" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art * Mrs. Peter De Lancey (1771) oil on canvas 29 3/4" x 25" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art * Christiana Stille Keen (1769) oil on canvas 30" x 25" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art * Abigail Willing * Madonna of Saint Jerome (1764) oil on canvas 30 9/16" x 23 9/16" at the National Gallery of Art * William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1774) oil on canvas 30 1/6" x 24 7/8" at the National Gallery of Art *

(1765) oil on canvas at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts * Mrs. Benjamin West (1765) oil on canvas at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts *

James McCulloch Sir James McCulloch, (18 March 1819 – 31 January 1893) was a British colonial politician and statesman who served as the fifth premier of Victoria over four non-consecutive terms from 1863 to 1868, 1868 to 1869, 1870 to 1871 and 1875 to 18 ...

(1773) oil on canvas at Princeton University Art Museum * Mrs. John Langdale (née Alice Coates) (1760) oil on canvas at the Yale University Art Gallery * Hugh McCullough (1773) oil on canvas 50 1/8" x 40 1/16" * Benjamin Nicholson (1772) oil on canvas 29 5/8" x 24 3/4" owned by the New York Historical Society * Captain John Barry (1776) oil on canvas 29 3/4" x 25" at University of Rochester Memorial Art Gallery * Dr. William Bryant (1770) oil on canvas * Vincent Loockerman oil on canvas * Mrs. James Van Rensselaer (née Catherine Van Cortlandt) oil on canvas * Elizabeth Willing Powel (1800) oil on canvas * John Swanwick (1780) oil on canvas

Miniature portraits

* T. Matthew Pratt (1790) watercolor on ivory 2 9/16" x 2 1/16" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art * Mrs. William Williamson (née Elizabeth Ann Timothy) (1775) watercolor and gouache on ivory 1 7/16" x 1 3/16" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art * Mrs. Clark (1770) watercolor on ivory 1 5/8" x 1 5/16" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Museums and public galleries

The following galleries have works by Matthew Pratt: * The

* The

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art is an art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in ...

* Memorial Art Gallery of the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester is a private university, private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded in 1850 and moved into its current campus, next to the Genesee River in 1930. With approximately 30,000 full ...

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: * National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra * National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London ...

Washington D.C. * Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts * Princeton University Art Museum

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratt, Matthew 1734 births 1805 deaths Painters from Philadelphia People from colonial Pennsylvania 18th-century American painters 18th-century American male artists American male painters 19th-century American painters 19th-century American male artists American portrait painters Burials at Christ Church, Philadelphia