Cole's Circle

T

Trumbull, Col. John (1756-1843)

Soldier in the Revolutionary War and an American history painter best known for The Declaration of Independence (1786-97), Trumbull also acted as president of the American Academy of Fine Arts from 1816-25. He bought one of Cole's early landscape paintings in 1825 and is quoted as saying, "This youth has done at once, and without instruction, what I cannot do after fifty years practice." Trumbull went on to introduce Cole to many other important patrons, including his nephew-in-law Daniel Wadsworth and to the artist Asher B. Durand. See also Asher B. Durand's engraving John Trumbull.