Portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette

In this portrait, the Marquis de Lafayette is pictured on a rocky hillside in front of a colorful, cloudy sky. The colors used here are typical of early 19th century paintings, particularly those by artists like Benjamin West. The dark greens and browns in the foreground speak to the grounding effects of nature, while the vibrant blue and pastel pink in the sky highlight the expansiveness of the American countryside. 

This painting has hung in all three of Michigan’s capitol buildings. It was originally believed to be by the French artist Ary Scheffer. Conservation later revealed that the portrait was a copy of Scheffer’s, created by James Alexander Simpson during Lafayette’s 1824-1825 visit to the United States. Copying was an acceptable practice at the time, used as a studying tool for emerging artists and a way to spread images of important individuals more widely. The original version currently hangs in the House Chamber of the nation’s Capitol.