David Porter

Commodore David Porter

This portrait of Commodore David Porter, USN (February 1, 1780 - March 3, 1843) by an unknown artist hangs in the Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis Maryland.

"Born at Boston, Massachusetts, Porter served in the Quasi-War with France as midshipman on board Constellation, participating in the capture of L'Insurgente. During the Barbary Wars he was taken prisoner when Philadelphia ran aground in Tripoli harbor.

Following the War of 1812 he led the expedition to suppress piracy in the West Indies. He then served in the Mexican Navy as its commander-in­-chief. He left the Mexican service in 1829 and was appointed United States Minister to the Barbary States. He died on March 3, 1843, while serving as United States Ambassador to Turkey." -- U. S. Naval Academy

In 1825 John H. I. Browere made a life-mask bust of Commodore Porter at age 45. This photo of it appeared in Charles Henry Hart's 1899 book Browere's Life Masks of Great Americans.

Life-mask bust of Commodore Porter age 45.

by John H. I. Browere

 As quoted by Hart, Porter wrote, from Meridian Hill, to Mordecai Manuel Noah, in 1825, that:

Mr. Browere has succeeded to admiration. Nothing can be more accurate and expressive; in fact, it was impossible that it could be otherwise than a perfect facsimile of my person, owing to the peculiar neatness and dexterity which guide his scientific operation.