Artist. He was the son of Charles Thomas Chapman and Margaret Sarah Gadsby Chapman. He studied painting in Washington, D.C, and then briefly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, before traveling to Europe in 1828. He spent two years in Italy before returning to America in 1831. He was a popular illustrator in the 1830s-1840s. He exhibited his work in Alexandria, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia, Boston, and Philadelphia. He moved to New York City in 1834 and became a member of the National Academy of Design. He produced numerous historical paintings on the Jamestown settlement. In 1836, his paintings "The Crowning of Powhatan" and "The Warning of Powhatan" were exhibited at the National Academy of Design in New York. On February 28, 1837, he was one of the artists selected to complete historical paintings at the United States Capitol Rotunda. On November 30, 1840, his "The Baptism of Pocahontas" was unveiled. In 1847, his "American Drawing Book" was published and became a textbook for art students. In 1848, he moved his family to Europe, and in 1850, they settled in an American expatriate community in Rome, Italy. In Italy, he mostly sold souvenir art to tourists. His son Conrad Wise Chapman, was also a professional artist who was commissioned for paintings of the city Charleston defenses. These paintings were to be used by Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard to gain support for his defense of the harbor of Charleston. Many of the paintings were painted by his son in Italy, with him helping paint four of them. After his wife's death, he returned to America and traveled before settling in Brooklyn, New York, with his other son John Linton "Jack" Chapman, who was also an artist.
Artist. He was the son of Charles Thomas Chapman and Margaret Sarah Gadsby Chapman. He studied painting in Washington, D.C, and then briefly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, before traveling to Europe in 1828. He spent two years in Italy before returning to America in 1831. He was a popular illustrator in the 1830s-1840s. He exhibited his work in Alexandria, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia, Boston, and Philadelphia. He moved to New York City in 1834 and became a member of the National Academy of Design. He produced numerous historical paintings on the Jamestown settlement. In 1836, his paintings "The Crowning of Powhatan" and "The Warning of Powhatan" were exhibited at the National Academy of Design in New York. On February 28, 1837, he was one of the artists selected to complete historical paintings at the United States Capitol Rotunda. On November 30, 1840, his "The Baptism of Pocahontas" was unveiled. In 1847, his "American Drawing Book" was published and became a textbook for art students. In 1848, he moved his family to Europe, and in 1850, they settled in an American expatriate community in Rome, Italy. In Italy, he mostly sold souvenir art to tourists. His son Conrad Wise Chapman, was also a professional artist who was commissioned for paintings of the city Charleston defenses. These paintings were to be used by Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard to gain support for his defense of the harbor of Charleston. Many of the paintings were painted by his son in Italy, with him helping paint four of them. After his wife's death, he returned to America and traveled before settling in Brooklyn, New York, with his other son John Linton "Jack" Chapman, who was also an artist.
Bio by: Lanie
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