Peale was a family of famous American artists. At least 20 members of the family, covering three generations, were artists. Charles Willson Peale (1741-1827), the enthusiastic family patriarch, believed that anyone could learn to draw. He taught many of his 17 children and also his brother James Peale (1749-1831). James in turn taught five of his children. James painted portraits, figure compositions, landscapes, and still lifes. They were done with the directness and charm that mark the best work of the family.
Raphaelle Peale (1774-1825) and Rembrandt Peale (1778-1860) are the best known of Charles Willson Peale’s artist sons. Raphaelle is noted for his still lifes and miniatures. Rembrandt painted hundreds of portraits. Sarah Miriam Peale (1800-1885), a daughter of James, was probably the first professional woman portrait painter in America.
Charles Willson Peale gave up painting in middle age to devote almost full time to his natural history museum in Philadelphia. At the museum, he often displayed one of his most startling lifelike pictures, The Staircase Group (1775), which has life-sized portraits of his sons Titian and Raphaelle.
