Portraits of a Revolution

This program explores American portraits painted and sculpted during the years leading up to, and the decades after, the Revolution. The ideals, values and virtues expressly stated in our founding documents are easily identifiable in these portraits once we know how to “read” them. We will examine portraits of founding “fathers” as documents that can be read like texts. We will also discuss the tradition of portraiture, and the influences of earlier art movements, artists, and artifacts, that inform these American portraits. Audiences will be introduced to, and practice, some skills of art analysis and learn how art works can reveal so much about a culture.

About Your Presenter:

Inez McDermott is Professor Emerita of art history at New England College. She is a curator of art and history exhibitions at various museums and galleries throughout New England including, in 2023, An Enduring Presence: The Old Man of the Mountain at the Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University. In 2016, she was co-curator of Mount Washington, The Crown of New England at the Currier Museum of Art. Inez continues to lecture on art and history topics through New Hampshire Humanities “Humanities to Go” program, as well as teaching short courses for Kimball Jenkins Art School, LINEC and Osher. She has served on the boards of New Hampshire Humanities, New Hampshire State Council on the Arts, and the Concord Public Library and is currently vice-president of the Saint-Gaudens Memorial, an organization that provides programming and support for the state’s only National Park.

This event is made possible by New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with NHPBS, with additional support provided by Cogswell Benevolent Trust. By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a series of community driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.