Peter F. Rothermel

Infobox Artist
bgcolour = #6495ED
name = Peter F. Rothermel

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imagesize = 180px
caption = Peter F. Rothermel's "Patrick Henry before the Virginia House of Burgesses"
birthname =
birthdate = birth date |1817|7|8|
location = Nescopeck, Pennsylvania
deathdate = death date and age |1895|8|15|1817|7|8|
deathplace =
nationality = American
field =
training = John R. Smith and Bass Otis
movement =
works =
patrons =
influenced by =
influenced =
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Peter Frederick Rothermel (July 8, 1817 – August 15, 1895) was an American painter.

Rothermel was born in Nescopeck, Pennsylvania in 1817, although some date his birth earlier in 1813 or 1814. He studied under John R. Smith and Bass Otis before studying in various places in Europe. He specialized in portraits and dramatic historical paintings. He served as Vice President of the Artists' Fund Society in 1844 and as Director of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts from 1847 to 1855.

His most famous paintings include "Patrick Henry before the Virginia House of Burgesses" (1851) and a massive oil painting of the Battle of Gettysburg that hangs in the State Museum of Pennsylvania. This latter work was commissioned by Gettysburg lawyer David McConaughy. Another of his more popular historical works is "Columbus Before the Queen", painted in 1844.

Rothermel's son, Peter F. Rothermel, Jr., was District Attorney of Philadelphia.

References

* [http://www.lehigh.edu/~ejg1/natimag/Jennifer.html Lehigh University webpage for Rothermel]

Peter died near Linfield, PA his estate still exists today on Limerick Center Road it is now a residential site.