Born in Lebanon, New London County, Connecticut. Son of Connecticut governor Jonathan Trumbull. Graduate of Harvard in 1773, youngest in his class.

Appointed aide-de-camp to General George Washington. Later commissioned major of a brigade in August 1775. He saw action at Dorchester Heights in March 1776. He witnessed the British evacuation of Boston. He was promoted to colonel under General Gates and saw action at Crown Point and Ticonderoga.

Out of the service, he requested permission to study art in London. He was arrested November 19, 1780, on suspicion of treason. This was presumed to be a reprisal for the hanging of Major Andre. He was released and went to Europe and later returned to America. In December 1783 he returned to London to resume study under Benjamin West. His painting of the Declaration of Independence took eight years. In 1793 he became private secretary to John Jay.

Trumbull married Sarah Harvey October 1, 1800. She died in 1824. They had no children. In later years the quality of his paintings dropped. His earlier works provide the best pictorial record of the Revolutionary War period. He died in New York City.

In 1849 the American Art Union commissioned a portrait medal of Trumbull. The 64 mm medal (Julian PE-35) was struck at the Philadelphia Mint. Dies were by Charles Cushing Wright.

Trumbull paintings were the basis for engravings appearing on paper money. "The Declaration of Independence" appears on the reverse of the $100 First Charter National and the $2 Federal Reserve Notes. "Washington Resigning his Commission" appears on a $1000 national bank note and the $5000 Federal Reserve Note Series of 1918. "The Surrender of General Burgoyne to General Gates at Saratoga" appears on the $500 national bank note.

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profile: NN 11/22/75