Charles Willson Peale

Charles Willson Peale (1741–1827) was a true polymath of early America: a painter, soldier, scientist, and naturalist. Born in Maryland, Peale initially struggled with various trades before discovering his talent for art. He honed his skills studying under prominent artists like John Hesselius and John Singleton Copley, and later with Benjamin West in London for three years starting in 1767. Inspired by the burgeoning American Revolution, Peale moved to Philadelphia in 1775,…