1741-1827. American artist, head of a large
family of painters. His portraits of leading
figures in the Revolutionary War include the
earliest known portrait of George Washington
1772. Peale was also a naturalist, interested
in paleontology and taxidermy, and an
inventor. Five of Peale's 17 children also
became painters - Titian Peale (1799-1885),
animal painter; Rubens Peale (1784-1865),
still-life painter; Raphaelle Peale
(1774-1825), still-life and portrait painter;
Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860), portrait and
historical painter; and Franklin Peale
(1795-1890), natural history painter. His
brother James Peale (1749-1831) and James's
daughters were portrait painters and
miniaturists.