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. He was born 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 ...

, Province of Pennsylvania to goldsmith Henry Pratt, (1708–1748) and Rebecca Claypoole, (1711–1762) (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. One of the earliest mentions of a limner's work is found in the book ''Methods and Materials of Painting'' by Charles Lock Eastlake (1793–1865). ...

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. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...

" 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'', ''The Death of General Wolfe'', the '' Treaty of Paris'', and '' Benjamin Franklin Drawin ...

. 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 Painting, painter, soldier, scientist, inventor, politician and naturalist. He is best remembered for his portrait paintings of leading figures of the American Revolu ...

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.

Marriage and children

In 1760 he married Elizabeth Moore, (May 4, 1739 – July 7, 1777). 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); and, * 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, and is buried in

Christ Church Burial Ground Christ Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia is an important early-American cemetery. It is the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and his wife, Deborah. Four other signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here, Benjamin Rush, ...

. (An old historic burial ground established in 1695)

Oil paintings – portraits

Mrs Elias Boudinot, attributed to Matthew Pratt (1734-1805)

01-Bentinck William Henry Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Portland c 1774

* 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 of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

* Mrs.

Elias Boudinot Elias Boudinot ( ; May 2, 1740 – October 24, 1821) was a lawyer and statesman from Elizabeth, New Jersey who was a delegate to the Continental Congress (more accurately referred to as the Congress of the Confederation) and served as President ...

– (1740–1821) oil on canvas *

Cadwallader Colden Cadwallader Colden (7 February 1688 – 28 September 1776) was a physician, natural scientist, a lieutenant governor and acting Governor for the Province of New York. Early life Colden was born on 7 February 1688 in Ireland, of Scottish pare ...

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 (1773) oil on canvas at

Princeton University Art Museum The Princeton University Art Museum (PUAM) is the Princeton University gallery of art, located in Princeton, New Jersey. With a collecting history that began in 1755, the museum was formally established in 1882, and now houses over 113,000 works o ...

* Mrs. John Langdale (née Alice Coates) (1760) oil on canvas at the

Yale University Art Gallery The Yale University Art Gallery (YUAG) is the oldest university art museum in the Western Hemisphere. It houses a major encyclopedic collection of art in several interconnected buildings on the campus of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. ...

Hugh McCullough Hugh Warner McCullough (May 18, 1916February 11, 1999) was an American football player who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL). During his time in the NFL, McCullough played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (later renamed the Pitt ...

(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 John Swanwick (1760August 1, 1798) was an American merchant, poet and politician. He served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and from 1795 to 1798 served in the United States representative from Pennsylvania in the 4th and 5th congresses. ...

(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 * Memorial Art Gallery of the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private university, private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants Undergraduate education, undergraduate and graduate degrees, including Doctorate, do ...

* National Portrait Gallery Washington D.C. *

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is a museum and private art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pratt, Matthew 1734 births 1805 deaths Artists from Philadelphia People of 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