Samuel King

(b Newport, RI, 24 Jan 1749; d Newport, 20 Dec 1819).

American painter, carver and nautical instrument maker. He was the son of Benjamin King, a mathematical and nautical instrument maker of Newport, RI. Samuel King's early portrait of the Rev. Ezra Stiles (New Haven, CT, Yale U. A.G.) is undoubtedly his masterpiece and a tour de force of symbolism. The portrait was begun in 1770 and completed on 1 August 1771. It shows the interest of the instrument maker in detail and exactitude of delineation. King's other known portraits show no such originality and in the main reflect compositions taken from portraits known to have been hanging in Newport at the time or from English prints. Since Samuel King and Charles Bird King (unrelated) were neighbours on Clarke Street in Newport, he probably influenced Charles Bird King. Washington Allston and Ann Hall (1792-1863) were both Samuel King's pupils.

In addition to his portraits, in 1783 King made a patriotic transparency (destr.) for display in front of the Rhode Island State House. The transparency was a temporary work probably consisting of over life-size allegorical figures painted on transparent paper illuminated from behind by torches. A bill survives to James Taylor in which King claimed payment for carving three picture frames, painting a signboard and a carriage. He also continued his father's profession, as is testified by his bill of 1797 to William Christopher Champlin for a new compass and for repairing the compass for the ship Hope. (Source: ROBERT G. STEWART, "Samuel King," The Grove Dictionary of Art Online (Oxford University Press) Accessed April 8, 2004) http://www.groveart.com