Portrait and minatures painter. In his early life he was an ardent supporter of the anti-slavery movement then underway in the Northern states. Ironically this stance furthered the development of his painting career. In his spare time he learned the techniques of paintings, specifically focusing on portrait painting. In his mid thirties he moved West, but by 1845 moved back East and settled in Philadelphia and while there painted many portraits of notable men and families many of which now hang in public galleries. He painted portraits of presidents Abraham Lincoln, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson as well as a portrait of Congressman Henry Clay. In 1889 (after the death of Marchant) the portraits of Clay and Adams were sent to then Secretary of State James Blaine to see if Washington wanted to purchase them. He remarked that the Clay portrait, was perhaps the finest portrait of Clay in existence. Congress authorized $2500.00 for the purchase and the paintings were bought from Marchant's wife. The portrait of Lincoln, painted in 1863 hung in Independence Hall, but later was owned and displayed at the Union League Club in Philadelphia. His works are displayed in the Museum of Arts in Boston, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the New York Historical Society, and many other institutions and museums.
Portrait and minatures painter. In his early life he was an ardent supporter of the anti-slavery movement then underway in the Northern states. Ironically this stance furthered the development of his painting career. In his spare time he learned the techniques of paintings, specifically focusing on portrait painting. In his mid thirties he moved West, but by 1845 moved back East and settled in Philadelphia and while there painted many portraits of notable men and families many of which now hang in public galleries. He painted portraits of presidents Abraham Lincoln, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson as well as a portrait of Congressman Henry Clay. In 1889 (after the death of Marchant) the portraits of Clay and Adams were sent to then Secretary of State James Blaine to see if Washington wanted to purchase them. He remarked that the Clay portrait, was perhaps the finest portrait of Clay in existence. Congress authorized $2500.00 for the purchase and the paintings were bought from Marchant's wife. The portrait of Lincoln, painted in 1863 hung in Independence Hall, but later was owned and displayed at the Union League Club in Philadelphia. His works are displayed in the Museum of Arts in Boston, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the New York Historical Society, and many other institutions and museums.
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