Jacob Eichholtz Biography

Jacob Eichholtz was born and died in Lancaster, Pa. where he pursued the careers of sign painting and copper-smithing; he practiced at portrait painting in his spare time. In 1809, renowned portraitist Thomas Sully visited Lancaster and exchanged with Eichholtz art training and a couple of brushes for use of studio space.

Eichholtz then went to Boston to train with Gilbert Stuart, and afterwards opened a studio in Philadelphia. Eichholtz visited Baltimore often and completed a number of individual and group portraits while in Maryland during 1820-1. He painted over 900 works in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Scholar Jean Woods writes that, "The Star of Federalism newspaper in Frederick, Maryland, carried news of the marriage of Catherine Trissler to 'Mr. J. Eicholtz [sic], the celebrated self taught limner." She adds that, in 1820, Eichholtz, Rembrandt Peale and Thomas Sully were painting portraits in Baltimore at $30 apiece on average.