In the late 18th century, art flourished in Europe with painters like Eugène Delacroix and John Constable creating masterpieces. Meanwhile, the American colonies focused on fighting for freedom from England, leaving little time for art. Nevertheless However, key figures of the American Revolution became celebrities whose images were worth immortalizing.
Before the advent of photography, portraiture was the main way to capture a likeness. Portrait painters played a vital role in portraying public figures. One significant artist from early America was Charles Willson Peale (1741–1827), who fathered a family of artists.
