George Caleb Bingham was known as an artist and politician. He was also known as "the Missouri artist ," during his lifetime. Most of his significant pieces were painted between 1845 and 1860. Bingham did the most amazing drawings , landscapes , portraits and scenes of social political life on the frontier. Bingham was and still is , one of America 's greatest painters. George Caleb Bingham was born on March 20 ,1811 in Augusta County , Virginia , VA. He was the second eldest of seven children. Bingham 's parents were Henry Vest and Mary Amend Bingham. Bingham showed a strong interest in art in an early age his family was living in a large farm. Bingham would draw all over the farm, including posting posters on the family mill. …show more content…
When Bingham was at age sixteen , he left Arrow Rock to learn a trade in Boonville , Missouri. This is when he started painting portraits. Bingham 's friends admired his work , which gave him the confidence to start painting portraits for the citizens. 1833 was when George started earning his living as a portrait painter. He also went from town to town to paint portraits of people and got paid. George Caleb Bingham traveled east to study other artists ' artwork. He was very impressed by genre paintings he saw. After making art contacts in New York City and studying in Philadelphia , Bingham returned home. George had vivid mental images of life on a river , knowing people 's occupations firsthand. 1845 was when he began an important and productive time in his artistic career. He then started painting genre paintings of his own , showing how life was in the frontier. Bingham began a profitable 7 year association with the American-Art Union in New York. During this time , he produced art works that made him one of America 's greatest genre painters. On 1845 George held strong beliefs about politics and democracy in America. To portray his political views , he would often use his artistic skills. He also would paint political figures such as George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , Andrew Jackson , John Quincy Adams , and Senator Thomas