John Trumbull (artist)

John Trumbull was an American painter during the 19th century. He was born into a prominent Connecticut family. Trumbull volunteered as a soldier for the Continental Army, serving briefly as aide-de-camp to George Washington. He served in the early months of the Revolutionary War. Trumbull later became a well-known painter of the Revolution and of America’s founding. Trumbull’s style was inspired by European history painting. He painted scenes of key events that focused on the drama and heroism of the moment. The scenes he painted were not meant to be accurate, but they have influenced the way Americans view and remember the country’s history. Encouraged by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, Trumbull created twelve monumental paintings, each depicting a significant moment in the American Revolution and the founding of America. Some of these paintings hang in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.