#PortraitofaCitizen
Another photograph of the ROUSSEAU in the collection of the Independence Seaport Museum, this one framed in ROUSSEAU salvage wood and stamped accordingly in the lower right.

#Rousseau #StephenGirard #PortraitofaCitizen #museums #specialcollections #photography #photographs #maritimehistory
November 25, 2025 at 12:33 PM
When purchased from the Girard estate by George Howland for whaling use, the pious Howland had the ROUSSEAU's figurehead of Jean-Jacques Rousseau removed (and decapitated!), replacing it with this billethead.

#maritimehistory #Rousseau #PortraitofaCitizen #StephenGirard #whaling #materialculture
January 8, 2026 at 11:49 AM
Many of the prints I encountered in New Bedford, including this one, were printed by Charles Taber & Co., a prominent local firm at the end of the 19th century.

#prints #printculture #NewBedford #whaling #PortraitofaCitizen
January 9, 2026 at 12:16 PM
The problem with historical research is that one inevitably discovers many other topics that one wants to research. This happened to me in New Bedford: I fell quite in love with the works of Lemuel David Eldred (1848-1921).

#NewBedford #Fairhaven #PortraitofaCitizen #whaling #maritimehistory
January 7, 2026 at 11:47 AM
Here's a lovely portrait of #StephenGirard and his bank, from the Independence Seaport Museum collection.

#PortraitofaCitizen #museums #libraries #specialcollections
November 26, 2025 at 12:06 PM
This is one of my favorite historic photos I've encountered during research for #PortraitofaCitizen, showing the "Memorial Room" in Founder's Hall at Girard College in 1893.

#materialculture #decorativeart #museums #specialcollections #StephenGirard
December 30, 2025 at 3:35 PM
A recording of the "Portrait of a Citizen" book launch is now on YouTube! Check out the program here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLFy....

A clip is below.

#PortraitofaCitizen #StephenGirard #booklaunch#America250 #Philadelphia #history #libraries #museums @degruyterbrill.bsky.social
June 20, 2026 at 11:42 AM
Part of my research for #PortraitofaCitizen involved establishing the context of genteel libraries in early America. Where better to go than Monticello and Mount Vernon?

#rarebooks #libraries #libraryhistory #specialcollections #PortraitofaCitizen #museums #housemuseums
December 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
One of the most charming little trinkets I encountered during my #PortraitofaCitizen research is this coin box at Mystic Seaport, fashioned from salvage wood from the whaleship ROUSSEAU.

#materialculture #collections #maritimehistory #whaling #memory
December 12, 2025 at 12:57 PM
New Bedford artist Arthur Gordon Grinnell (1854-1924) crafted this stunning chest from wood salvaged from the whaling vessel ROUSSEAU in 1894. The wonderful object is now on display at the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

#whaling #maritimehistory #NewBedford #StephenGirard #PortraitofaCitizen
December 16, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Founder's Hall at #GirardCollege, one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the country.

#Museums #PortraitofaCitizen #StephenGirard
January 3, 2026 at 11:31 AM
One of the fun things about working on "Portrait of a Citizen" has been a chance to learn more about the authors whom #StephenGirard admired. One was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Here's a scene from his "Julie, or The New Heloise."

#JeanJacquesRousseau #Rousseau #PortraitofaCitizen
November 22, 2025 at 1:21 PM
One of Stephen Girard's closest confidants was Joseph Bonaparte, former king of Spain who resided for a time in the Mid-Atlantic and presented Girard with this Canova bust of his brother.

#Canova #Napoleon #StephenGirard #art #busts #statues #materialculture #PortraitofaCitizen
November 9, 2025 at 2:28 PM
People often ask me if I emerged from my research for "Portrait of a Citizen" liking or disliking Stephen Girard. Learn the answer here!

#StephenGirard #PortraitofaCitizen #America250 #history #Philadelphia
July 2, 2026 at 10:28 AM
One of my favorite photos of the whaling bark ROUSSEAU (left) with the DESDEMONA at New Bedford, ca. 1893. The photo is by Edwin Hale Lincoln and titled "Their Last Port." New Bedford Free Public Library, 2010.007.012.019j.

#NewBedford #maritimehistory #StephenGirard #whaling #PortraitofaCitizen
January 6, 2026 at 12:07 PM
A #PortraitofaCitizen reader shared this holiday weekend image from Mackinac Island with me. So pleased to know that someone found this to be pleasant holiday weekend reading!
July 5, 2026 at 8:33 PM
One of the fun things about the "Lives of Eminent Philadelphians, Now Deceased" volumes at @rosenbachmuseum.bsky.social is that they include manuscript material related to the people highlighted in the book, and #StephenGirard is no exception.

#rarebooks #manuscripts #books #PortraitofaCitizen
November 14, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Though I consider "Portrait of a Citizen" a history of Stephen Girard's library, the survival of so many other pieces of #materialculture helps place his books in the context of the merchant's lived experience. One example is this Daniel Trotter secretary.

#PortraitofaCitizen #materialculture
November 7, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Another ROUSSEAU-related treasure from the New Bedford Whaling Museum: a logbook kept aboard the bark in 1866.

#manuscripts #libraries #archives #specialcollections #PortraitofaCitizen #whaling #maritimehistory
December 20, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Here's another Christmas lantern slide from the Girard College Historical Collection: Evangeline Wilbour Blashfield's "Christmas Chimes." Manufactured by the Keystone View Company.

#lanternslides #magiclantern #StephenGirard #PortraitofaCitizen #GirardCollege #FoundersHall
December 22, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Continuing the #StephenGirard #library Yellow Fever theme, here's another work by Jean Devèze, featuring an inscription to Girard on the half-title page.

#rarebooks #specialcollections #libraries #books #libraryhistory #PortraitofaCitizen
November 5, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Stephen Girard's surviving library at Girard College is home to many impressive cartouches, including this one, which I believe is from his copy of the "Pilote Americain Septetrional" of 1778.

#rarebooks #prints #specialcollections #StephenGirard #PortraitofaCitizen
January 2, 2026 at 11:26 PM
One of the pleasures of my research for #PortraitofaCitizen has been encountering early #DeclarationofIndependence commemorative literature, such as this lovely book at the American Antiquarian Society.

#rarebooks #specialcollections #libraries #research #books #prints
November 30, 2025 at 12:01 PM
It was such a pleasure to visit De Gruyter Brill during my trip to Berlin last week, to tour their historic HQ and meet in-person with the fabulous Rabea Rittgerodt, who shepherded my book project over the finish line.

#publishing #books #Berlin #DeGruyter #PortraitofaCitizen
May 20, 2026 at 10:28 AM