Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 59 works by Henry Inman in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Henry Inman left, the most famous is Tenskwatawa (1831), in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.. Close behind it come Portrait of Mrs. James W. Wallack (1828) and John Wesley Jarvis (1822). Our catalog holds 59 works by Henry Inman; the gallery has kept the 57 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
This oil on canvas portrait depicts Tenskwatawa, a Shawnee prophet and holy man who lived from approximately 1775 to 1837. The subject is the brother of the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. The work is dated 1831. It was executed by the American artist Henry Inman, who was born in 1801.
The Portrait of Mrs. James W. Wallack is an oil on canvas painted by Henry Inman. Created in the United States, this work captures the likeness of Susan Johnstone, known as Mrs. James W. Wallack. The portrait emerged from the artist's brush circa 1828.
Henry Inman presents a formal portrait of John Wesley Jarvis, executed around 1822. The sitter is captured in a three-quarter view, positioned centrally against a nebulous, atmospheric background. This work emerged during a period when Inman was refining his technical precision under the mentorship of established masters in New York City.
In this close-up bust portrait, Henry Inman focuses the viewer's attention entirely on the subject's face and upper torso. The composition is centered, with the woman's head turned toward the viewer. While her body faces forward, her gaze is directed slightly off to the left, creating a sense of quiet engagement. The background remains plain and dark, isolating the figure and emphasizing her presence within the frame.
This artwork is a portrait of John Wesley Jarvis, executed by the artist Henry Inman. The work dates to 1822. The subject is presented as a single individual, depicted as a dignified gentleman.
Henry Inman created Children in the Park in 1824. This watercolor engraving captures a quiet moment of companionship. Two children walk through a wooded or park-like setting, their figures moving through the soft light of a shaded grove. The scene is a small, intimate window into a private afternoon.
In the Portrait of Clara Fisher, Henry Inman presents a single female figure that commands the space with a quiet, steady presence. This three-quarter length portrait captures her in a moment of poised stillness, positioned slightly off-center to create a sense of natural, unforced grace. She does not meet the viewer's gaze directly; instead, her eyes are turned toward the left of the frame, as if lost in a private…
Alethea Lenox sits within an oval frame, her presence commanding a quiet, steady attention. She faces the viewer directly, her expression poised and calm, as if she has just paused in a moment of private reflection. The light catches the curve of her neck and the soft contours of her face, emerging from a deep, shadowy background that pushes her forward into the viewer's space. She wears a gown of…
Henry Inman captures the subject in a three-quarter view, facing toward the right of the frame. The portrait presents an elderly man, Henry Rutgers, rendered with the precision of classical realism. A stark black coat and a bright white cravat anchor the composition, providing a sharp contrast to the warm, muted tones of the background. Deep browns, ochre, and burnt sienna define the space behind him, creating a sense of…
In this intimate oil portrait, we encounter Mrs. Robert Lenox (Rachel Carmer, 1763-1843), a work executed by the American artist Henry Inman. The painting offers a quiet study of Rachel Carmer, capturing her presence with a sense of dignity that reflects her social standing during the early nineteenth century. It is a piece that invites a closer look at the individual behind the name, presenting a woman of character through…
Frances Wright (1795–1852)1824 · New York Historical Society
12
Portrait of a Lady1825 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
13
Portrait of a Gentleman1830 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
14
Mary Ward Betts1834 · Cleveland Museum of Art
15
Frederic Betts; Mary Ward Betts1834 · Cleveland Museum of Art
16
Emma Embury1833 · National Portrait Gallery
17
Eleazer Parmly1835 · National Portrait Gallery
18
Mr. Hackett, in the Character of Rip Van Winkle1832 · National Portrait Gallery
19
David Paul Brown1832 · Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
20
Georgianna Buckham and Her Mother (Anna Traphagen Buckham)1839 · Museum of Fine Arts
21
Tshi-Zun-Hau-Kau (He-Who-Runs-with-Deer), Winnebago1832 · Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
22
Cornelia Rutgers Livingston1833 · New Britain Museum of American Art
23
Mrs. John Bishop Hall (d. 1901)1839 · New York Historical Society
24
John Bishop Hall (1807–1889)1839 · New York Historical Society
25
Anthony Morris (1791-1839) or Herman Morris (1794-1849)1838 · New York Historical Society
26
Martin Van Buren (1782-1862)1835 · New York Historical Society
27
The Reverend Hooper Cumming (1787–1825)1832 · New York Historical Society
28
William Charles Macready as William Tell1826 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
29
Daniel Huntington1842 · National Portrait Gallery
30
Major George Washington Whistler1843 · Cincinnati Art Museum
31
John Church Hamilton1825 · Detroit Institute of Arts
32
Martin Van Buren1837 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
33
Mrs. Charles Cummings (Rebecca Pittard)1825 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
34
Lieutenant Philip Augustus Stockton1833 · Detroit Institute of Arts
35
The Young Fisherman1829 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
36
Black Hoof1831 · National Portrait Gallery
37
Ebenezer Martin1838 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
38
Mr. Rutherford1820 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
39
John Inman1830 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
40
Portrait of a Lady1827 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
41
Portrait of a Gentleman1825 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
42
Unidentified Lady1835 · New York Historical Society
43
A Gentleman of the Wilkes Family1838 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
44
Henry G. Stebbins1838 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
45
George Pope Morris1836 · National Gallery of Art
46
Dr. George Ackerly1835 · Smithsonian American Art Museum
47
Portrait of a Woman1840 · Georgia Museum of Art
48
Janet Halleck Drake1825 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
49
Portrait of a Young ManNew York Historical Society
50
Hayne Hudjihini, Eagle of Delight1832 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
51
John MarshallLibrary of Virginia
52
James Bogert, Jr.1835 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
53
No-Tin (Wind)
54
Pes-Ke-Le-Cha-Co1832 · Metropolitan Museum of Art
55
Angelica Singleton Van Buren (Mrs. Abraham Van Buren)1842
56
Dismissal of School on an October Afternoon1845 · Museum of Fine Arts
57
Rip Van Winkle Awakening from his Long Sleep1823 · National Gallery of Art
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Henry Inman | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Metropolitan Museum of Art |
New York | 15 | Portrait of a Lady, Portrait of a Lady, Portrait of a Gentleman |
 New York Historical Society |
New York City | 11 | Alethea Lenox (1807-1878), Henry Rutgers (1745–1830), Mrs. Robert Lenox (Rachel Carmer, 1763-1843) |
 National Portrait Gallery |
Washington, D.C. | 6 | Tenskwatawa, Emma Embury, Eleazer Parmly |
 Smithsonian American Art Museum |
Washington, D.C. | 5 | John Wesley Jarvis, Ebenezer Martin, Mr. Rutherford |
 Detroit Institute of Arts |
Detroit | 3 | Children in the Park, John Church Hamilton, Lieutenant Philip Augustus Stockton |
 Cleveland Museum of Art |
Cleveland | 2 | Mary Ward Betts, Frederic Betts; Mary Ward Betts |
 Museum of Fine Arts |
Boston | 2 | Georgianna Buckham and Her Mother (Anna Traphagen Buckham), Dismissal of School on an October Afternoon |
 National Gallery of Art |
Washington | 2 | George Pope Morris, Rip Van Winkle Awakening from his Long Sleep |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
The Portrait of Mrs. James W. Wallack is an oil on canvas painted by Henry Inman. Created in the United States, this work captures the likeness of Susan Johnstone, known as Mrs. James W. Wallack. The portrait emerged from the artist's brush circa 1828.
This oil on canvas portrait depicts Tenskwatawa, a Shawnee prophet and holy man who lived from approximately 1775 to 1837. The subject is the brother of the Shawnee leader Tecumseh. The work is dated 1831. It was executed by the American artist Henry Inman, who was born in 1801.
This 1842 portrait captures more than a mere likeness; it seeks to reveal the inner dignity and intellect of the young man. The composition relies on the interplay of light and shadow to breathe life into his features, creating a psychological depth that feels intimate. There is a quietude in his expression, a sense of a moment frozen in time, where the viewer is invited to wonder about the thoughts…
Tenskwatawa (1831), National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.. Portrait of Mrs. James W. Wallack (1828) and John Wesley Jarvis (1822) come next.
30 years old: Tenskwatawa dates from 1831, and Henry Inman was born in 1801.
Tenskwatawa, Portrait of Mrs. James W. Wallack, John Wesley Jarvis, Portrait of a Lady, John Wesley Jarvis, Children in the Park, Portrait of Clara Fisher, Alethea Lenox (1807-1878), Henry Rutgers (1745–1830) and Mrs. Robert Lenox (Rachel Carmer, 1763-1843). The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 59 works by Henry Inman, dated from 1820 to 1845.
Mostly in Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), New York Historical Society (New York City) and National Portrait Gallery (Washington, D.C.). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1830s: 30 of the 57 works on this page were made then, Tenskwatawa among them.
On this page, the earliest is Portrait of a Lady (1820) and the latest Dismissal of School on an October Afternoon (1845).
Man (20), Portrait (15) and Woman (11), across the 57 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 23 of the 57 works on this page.
Academic realism and Romanticism, judging by the originals on this page.
Portrait of a Lady, Portrait of a Lady and Portrait of a Gentleman: the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York holds 15 of the works on this page.
In the burgeoning landscape of nineteenth-century American art, few figures captured the evolving identity of a young nation as intimately as Henry Inman. Born in 1801 in Utica, New York, to English immigrant parents, Inman was a product of both old-world tradition and new-world ambition. His early years in the settlement of Utica provided a foundation of industriousness, but it was his move to the vibrant, growing metropolis of New York City in 1812 that truly ignited his artistic destiny. Under the mentorship of established masters such as John Wesley Jarvis and John Quidor, Inman refined a technical precision that would become his hallmark, learning to navigate the delicate balance between realistic representation and the soulful expression required for high-society portraiture.
Inman’s artistic journey was never confined to a single genre; rather, it was a multifaceted exploration of the American experience. While he possessed a remarkable talent for capturing the quiet, everyday moments of life through his genre scenes—notably his evocative depictions of “Rip Van Winkle” and “The News Boy”—his heart belonged to the study of human character. His portraits were more than mere likenesses; they were psychological studies that sought to reveal the inner dignity and intellect of his subjects. Through a meticulous application of light and shadow, he breathed life into the faces of the era's most influential figures, creating a visual record of leadership and intellect that remains vital to our understanding of American history.
Perhaps the most profound chapter of Inman’s career lies in his monumental contribution to the preservation of Native American heritage. Collaborating with the celebrated lithographer Thomas L. McKenney, Inman undertook the Herculean task of producing "The History of the Indian Tribes of North America." This endeavor required him to meticulously copy over one hundred oil paintings originally executed by Charles Bird King. This was not merely a technical exercise in reproduction; it was an act of historical preservation. Through his diligent work, Inman helped ensure that the likenesses and cultural dignity of Native American leaders were etched into the permanent annals of American art history.
This period of his life demonstrated a deep-seated empathy and an alignment with the intellectual currents of his time, which sought to document the complexities of a changing continent. His ability to translate the grandeur of these original works into a format accessible to a wider audience cemented his reputation as an artist of significant social and historical responsibility. In doing so, he bridged the gap between fine art and ethnographic record, making him a pivotal figure in the early American movement toward cultural documentation.
The breadth of Inman’s portraiture serves as a Who's Who of nineteenth-century American prominence. His canvases featured an extraordinary array of notable figures, including:
Beyond his individual canvases, Inman’s influence extended to the very institutions that shaped American art. His role in the founding of the National Academy of Design underscores his commitment to establishing a formal structure for artistic excellence in the United States. Though his life was tragically short, ending in 1846, the impact of his work remains indelible. He left behind a legacy defined by a rare combination of technical virtuosity and a profound respect for the subjects he portrayed, ensuring that the faces of the past continue to speak to the generations of the present.
