A painter from Bucks County has long been considered one of the most important artists in American history, creating several famous pieces. Staff writers at the Pennsylvania Center for the Book wrote about the artist.

Rembrandt Peale was born at the VanArtsdalen farm, located around the area of Richboro, in early 1778. The son of famed painter Charles Willson Peale, he was named after the Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn.

His three brothers, Raphaelle, Rubens, and Titian, were also similarly named after legendary painters and taught in the craft by their father.

During his career, Rembrandt became known for his portraits of influential American figures, some of whom include DeWitt Clinton, Dr. David Hosack, Vice President John C. Calhoun, and Founding Fathers and Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the latter of whom’s depiction by Peale is considered his official portrait.

Peale passed away in his house at Vine Street in Philadelphia in late 1860. The paintings he produced, along with the large collection of work by his father and siblings, has cemented the Peale family as artistic royalty in the United States and the world.

Read more about Peale and his works at the Pennsylvania Center for the Book.