Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11

Portrait of Benedict Arnold

c. 1770s

About the Item

This portrait, attributed to the American painter Ralph Earl, captures Benedict Arnold, one of the most controversial figures of the American Revolutionary War. Ralph Earl, known for his vivid portrayals of historical figures, likely painted this portrait during the late 18th century. The work depicts Arnold dressed formally, embodying a dignified yet somber expression. Earl’s skillful use of light and shadow adds depth to the figure, enhancing Arnold's complex legacy as both a decorated American general and an infamous traitor. Earl's style, known for its realism and attention to detail, is evident in the precise rendering of Arnold's features and dress. His attention to the play of light, especially across Arnold's face, reflects the internal conflict associated with the subject. The composition suggests a balance between Arnold’s past heroism and his eventual betrayal, which makes the portrait particularly intriguing in its historical context. Though not definitively confirmed as a work by Earl, the painting fits within his body of work, showing his signature attention to attire and his focus on notable figures of the time. This portrait serves as a reminder of both Arnold's brilliance as a military leader and the shadow of treachery that marks his name in American history.
  • Attributed to:
    Ralph Earl (1751-1801, American)
  • Creation Year:
    c. 1770s
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 44.25 in (112.4 cm)Width: 35 in (88.9 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Fredericksburg, VA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU2574215074902

More From This Seller

View All
Weaving a chair while smoking a pipe
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
This painting by Dometer Guczul, titled "Weaving a Chair While Smoking a Pipe," offers a glimpse into rural life with a quiet, contemplative charm. The scene depicts a man engaged in...
Category

Early 20th Century Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Francis William Edmonds Family Portrait
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
In Francis William Edmonds' family portrait, six women and three men are elegantly arranged in a formal yet intimate setting, capturing a moment of togetherness. The composition refl...
Category

Mid-19th Century Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Board

Portrait of John Wakefield Francis
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
The Portrait of John Wakefield Francis by James Herring depicts a distinguished 19th-century American physician and educator. Dr. Francis, renowned for his pioneering work in medical...
Category

Early 19th Century Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Enjoying Old Times
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
"Enjoying Old Times" by Charles Baker captures a poignant and joyful moment in the life of an older man, immersed in the beauty of nature. The painting features the man in the midst of a hike, his weathered walking stick in one hand, and a bottle of champagne in the other. His gaze is fixed on the bottle, a focused and content expression playing on his lips, suggesting a celebration of memories or perhaps a spontaneous toast to the present moment. Baker’s use of warm, earthy tones highlights the natural surroundings, with the man standing against a backdrop of greenery, a rocky path, and a clear, open sky. The composition is rich in detail, from the rugged texture of the man’s clothes...
Category

Mid-19th Century Hudson River School Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Little Girl with Fishbowl
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
"Little Girl with Fishbowl," an 1860s American school portrait, captures a tender moment in the life of a young girl. The painting showcases the subjec...
Category

Mid-19th Century Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Impressionist Idyllic Madonna
Located in Fredericksburg, VA
B. Gianni's impressionist Madonna is an exquisite painting that radiates with a divine presence and ethereal beauty. This remarkable artwork depicts the Madonna seated gracefully on ...
Category

Late 19th Century Impressionist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

You May Also Like

Three Angels
By Domenico Piola the Elder
Located in New York, NY
Provenance: Robert L. and Bertina Suida Manning, New York, until 1996 Private Collection, USA One of the leading artists in Genoa during the second half of the seventeenth century, Domenico Piola came from a successful family of artists, renowned for their many illusionistic ceiling programs throughout Genoese churches and palaces. A prolific draughtsman and painter, Domenico oversaw an extremely productive studio. In addition to his collaborations with numerous other artists, Domenico also provided many designs for book illustrations and prints that circulated throughout Europe, earning him international exposure and high acclaim in his own day. As Dr. Anna Orlando has indicated (written communication), the present work is an early work by Piola, datable from the late 1640s. At this time the young artist came strongly under the influence of Castiglione and Valerio Castello, while admiring the works of Giulio Cesare Procaccini. Piola’s works from this period are exuberant and fluid, and the artist’s love of portraying children is evident from the angels and putti that populate both his altarpieces and more intimate paintings. The present work depicts three angels...
Category

17th Century Baroque Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Madonna and Child with Angels in the Clouds
Located in New York, NY
Provenance: Charles H. and Virginia Baldwin, Claremont, Colorado Springs, Colorado ca. 1907-1934; thence by descent until sold in 1949 to: Charles Blevins Davis, Claremont (renamed Trianon), Colorado Springs 1949 -until gifted in 1952 to: The Poor Sisters of Saint Francis, Trianon, Colorado Springs, 1952 until acquired, 1960, by: John W. Metzger, Trianon, renamed as the Trianon School of Fine Arts, Colorado Springs, 1960-1967; when transferred to: The Metzger Family Foundation, Trianon Art Museum, Denver, 1967 - 2004; thence by descent in the Metzger Family until 2015 Exhibited: Trianon Art Museum, Denver (until 2004) The present work is a spectacular jewel-like canvas by Amigoni, rich in delicate pastel colors, most likely a modello for an altarpiece either lost or never painted. In it the Madonna stands firmly upon a cloud in the heavens, her Child resting on a delicate veil further supported by a cloud, as he gently wraps his arm around his mother’s neck. From above angels prepare to lower flowers and a wreath, while other angels and seraphim surrounding the two joyfully cavort. Dr. Annalisa Scarpa, author of the forthcoming monograph on Jacopo Amigoni...
Category

18th Century and Earlier Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Blossoms of Strength 1 - - 21st Century, Contemporary, Portrait, Women, Floral
Located in Ibadan, Oyo
Shipping Procedure FREE Shipping Worldwide Ships in a well-protected tube from Nigeria This work is unique, not a print or other type of copy. Accompanied by a Certificate of Authent...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil, Acrylic

Woman in a Red Dress, Mid Century Female Illustrator/ Artist, Elizabeth Taylor ?
By Gladys Rockmore Davis
Located in Miami, FL
Mid-century female illustrator/artist Gladys Rockmore Davis paints a compelling portrait of a contemplative beauty who looks like Elizabeth Taylor. Frontal and lateral forces work together in this pyramidal composition. The sitter stares down at the viewer creating a frontal tension. Her hypnotic gaze is counterbalanced by the lateral movement of her crossed hands and triggers an emotional response. Gladys Rockmore Davis is both a work-for-hire illustrator and a fine artist- She was an illustrator for clients such as Upjohn, Munsingwear, Elgin Watches, and Johnson & Johnson. Davis had a show at the prestigious Midtown Gallery and Babcock Gallery in New York. She studied at the California School of Fine Arts, Art Institute of Chicago, and Art Students League. William R. French Gold Medal...
Category

1950s American Realist Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Profile in Red" Figurative Oil Painting 16" x 26" inch by Ashraf Zamzami
By Ashraf Zamzami
Located in Culver City, CA
"Profile in Red" Figurative Oil Painting 16" x 26" inch by Ashraf Zamzami ABOUT Ashraf El Zamzami was a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Minya, and he fast made a name for h...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary Portrait Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Pierrot and the Butterfly, " Early 20th Century Impressionist Oil Portrait
Located in Wiscasset, ME
"Pierrot and the Butterfly" is an early 20th century Impressionist oil portrait. The painting is indistinctly signed lower right and m...
Category

Early 20th Century Impressionist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Recently Viewed

View All