Men of Progress, Christian Schussele (1862)
In 1857, the inventor of a coal-burning stove, Jordan Mott, commissioned Christian Schussele to paint a group portrait of eighteen American scientists and inventors who "had altered the course of contemporary civilization." As with Schussele's celebration of American letters, Washington Irving . . . at Sunnyside, the group portrait did not mark an actual occasion but was designed to honor the achievements of American industry. The artist sketched study portraits of each of his subjects before putting them all into his final, formal composition. Men of Progress is a remarkable document of the growth of the American economy by the 1850s as it celebrates the inventions and processes of manufacturing pioneered by men such as Cyrus McCormick, Charles Goodyear, Samuel Colt, Samuel Morse, Elias Howe, and fourteen others.
                                
Discover more Old Masters in the following collections:
 The endangered swan, Jan Asselijn
The endangered swan, Jan Asselijn The mill at Wijk bij Duurstede, Jacob Isaacksz. van Ruisdael
The mill at Wijk bij Duurstede, Jacob Isaacksz. van Ruisdael Queen Elizabeth of Bourbon
Queen Elizabeth of Bourbon Flower arrangement, Jan Davidsz. de Heem
Flower arrangement, Jan Davidsz. de Heem A Amsterdam street scene - Adrianus Eversen
A Amsterdam street scene - Adrianus Eversen The goldfinch, Carel Fabritius
The goldfinch, Carel Fabritius Vincent van Gogh. Flower beds in Holland
Vincent van Gogh. Flower beds in Holland Jacob Maris - Fishing boat
Jacob Maris - Fishing boat The School of Athens, Raphael
The School of Athens, Raphael Almond blossom painting by Vincent van Gogh
Almond blossom painting by Vincent van Gogh The Mirror, Robert Reid
The Mirror, Robert Reid Portrait of a woman, anonymous - 1633
Portrait of a woman, anonymous - 1633 The Milkmaid - Vermeer painting
The Milkmaid - Vermeer painting Agapanthus, Claude Monet
Agapanthus, Claude Monet Vincent van Gogh. Olive orchard
Vincent van Gogh. Olive orchard Cypresses
Cypresses The Artist’s Garden in Giverny, Claude Monet
The Artist’s Garden in Giverny, Claude Monet The great wave of Kanagawa, Hokusai
The great wave of Kanagawa, Hokusai Italian landscape with pine trees, Hendrik Voogd
Italian landscape with pine trees, Hendrik Voogd Bouquet of flowers on white background (seen at VT Wonen)
Bouquet of flowers on white background (seen at VT Wonen)