Henry Inman

Born in Utica, New York, Henry Inman became the leading portrait painter of his time and was a noted chronicler of the history of the West without having been there. He also painted idyllic landscapes, and some popular genre paintings that were engraved in books. He became the first vice-president of the National Academy of Design, and most of his short life was spent in New York City.

For seven years, he was apprenticed to portraitist John Wesley Jarvis, and they worked in tandem with Jarvis painting the likeness and Inman finishing the canvas. On a visit to New Orleans in 1820 and 1821, they made $6000.00 from completing six portraits.