Smithsonian American Art Museum
Portrait of the Downer Children
Peter Frederick Rothermel, born Nescopeck, PA 1812-died Linfield, PA 1895 · 1850
Peter Frederick Rothermel created an imaginary landscape of lush vegetation and clouds behind the Downer children, who pose as stiffly as statues. A medieval castle looms in the distance behind Dora, while Amy leans against a stone pedestal, holding her baby brother, Adolph. The white rabbit, a gentle creature of nature, symbolizes the children’s own natural innocence. Captain George Downer and his wife commissioned Rothermel to paint this portrait when he was the director of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia.
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