Portrait of John Brown, 1860
What Is It?
This portrait of anti-slavery leader John Brown
was painted after his death. The artist was Patrick
Henry Davenport. Brown led a group that violently attacked people and places that supported
slavery. He was executed.
What’s the Story?
John Brown was born to a very religious family.
From an early age he was influenced by his fiercely
anti-slavery father. Brown later helped fugitive
slaves, gave them land, and took part in the Underground Railroad.
Brown became the leader of an anti-slavery
group. He led his men in attacks against proslavery towns and people. Brown planned a raid
on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia
(now West Virginia). An arsenal is a place where
weapons are made and stored. As part of his plot,
Brown ordered 1,000 pikes to be made. He planned
to give the weapons to slaves.
Collections of the Kentucky Historical Society • Accession Number 1982.6 • 27” x 21 7/8”
In October of 1859, Brown led a group of men to attack the arsenal to seize weapons for a slave uprising. His
plans fell apart as first town citizens, then local militias, and finally United States Marines, fought against him.
They wounded and captured Brown and killed a number of his men. Brown surrendered and was charged with
murder, conspiring with slaves, and treason. He was hanged.
Did You Know?
A painting is an artistic representation of a person. An artist can decide how to show the subject’s personality
and mood. Davenport didn’t have Brown seated in front of him while he painted. So, he probably based his work
on a photo and added his own personal touches.
History Mystery
Most of the people in 19th century portraits were well-known or wealthy. John Brown’s family may have wanted
to honor his memory with a painting. No one knows why, but the Brown family rejected this portrait. It ended
up in a private collection.