Oil on canvas; Height: 28 ½” (72.3 cm); Width: 36 ¼” (92.7 cm). Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library; Winterthur, DE.
Left to right: John Jay, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Laurens, William Temple Franklin (secretary and grandson to Franklin). The American peace commissioners posed for this painting, but when their British counterparts refused to pose, West abandoned the painting.
Madison’s enemies came up with a strong opponent [for the House of Representatives in 1789] — his investment partner, James Monroe. Seven years younger than Madison, Monroe was tall, handsome, earnest, vigorous. He had crossed the Delaware with Washington and survived a bullet in his lungs at the Battle of Trenton; after leaving the army he had read law with Jefferson. Jefferson loved Madison, but he loved is other protégé, too. At one point he dreamed of both men moving next to him at Monticello. With such neighbors, he wrote Madison, I could ... lay myself up for the residue of life, quitting all contentions.