Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. William Dunlap died in 1839; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1909.
In context
Samuel Griffin — William Dunlap
The original measures 84 × 71 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 73 at death.
Painted when the artist was 43. The artist lived to 73. 1 of the 7 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of William Dunlap (1766–1839) ▲ this work, 1809 every dated painting, decade by decade
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: wahooart.com/en/art/similar/william-dunlap-samuel-griffin-D38J2F-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Driftwood #86844a
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 8 works by this artist, of which 3 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Perth Amboy, United States of America
Born: February 19, 1766, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
Dunlap was the son of an army officer wounded at the Battle of Quebec in 1759.
He demonstrated artistic talent early on, producing a portrait of George Washington in 1783 while staying at Rockingham in Rocky Hill.
He later pursued formal art training under Benjamin West in London and briefly with Abraham Delanoy in New York.
Upon returning to America in 1787, Dunlap dedicated himself almost entirely to the theater for eighteen years.
He became a pivotal figure in the burgeoning American theatrical scene, managing two of New York City’s most prominent theaters: the John Street Theatre (1796–98) and the Park Theatre (1798–1805).
Dunlap was not only a manager but also a prolific playwright, producing over sixty plays, many adaptations or translations from French and German works.
Notable Plays: The Father (1789), André (1798), The Virgin of the Sun (1800).
Economic necessity prompted Dunlap to resume painting in 1805, eventually becoming a full-time painter by 1817.
His artistic style encompassed portraiture and landscape painting, often reflecting the elegance of Rococo and Neoclassical influences.
He focused on capturing the likenesses of prominent individuals and scenes of American life during the Federal period.
Historical Record: Dunlap’s most significant contribution lies in his three-volume History of the Rise and Progress of the Arts of Design in the United States (1834).
This work remains an invaluable resource for understanding the development of art, collecting practices, and artistic life in colonial and Federal America.
Founding Member: In 1825, he was one of the founders of the National Academy of Design and served as an instructor at its school.
Dunlap’s multifaceted career—as a theater manager, playwright, and artist—demonstrates his broad cultural impact on early America.
William Dunlap's work provides crucial insights into the artistic and theatrical landscape of the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the United States.
His historical writings continue to be essential for scholars researching American art history.
He is remembered as a true Renaissance man, contributing significantly to multiple facets of American cultural life.
wahooart.com/en/art/download/william-dunlap-samuel-griffin-D38J2F-en/
Look closely
Samuel Griffin — William Dunlap
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
To get a print of "Samuel Griffin" by William Dunlap, simply order it on its Fine Art Print page: a fine art print on cotton canvas or archival canvas paper.
The image of "Samuel Griffin" by William Dunlap can be downloaded from the artwork's Download page: a high-resolution digital image download.
"Samuel Griffin" by William Dunlap uses a dark palette, with driftwood (#86844a) as the dominant color.