Matthew Pratt

Subjects and genres recorded for the work are portrait. Work by Matthew Pratt is recorded in the collections of Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and National Portrait Gallery.

He was born in Philadelphia, Province of Pennsylvania, to goldsmith Henry Pratt and Rebecca Claypoole (sister of James Claypoole Sr.). He was the second of eight children born to the Pratts.

• Illustration — The American School (1765) He was apprenticed to his uncle, artist James Claypoole (a limner and painter) from 1745 to 1755. He learned different aspects of portrait painting (including business acumen) from Claypoole. In 1764 he escorted his cousin, Betsey Shewell to England for her marriage to the American "expatriate" artist Benjamin West. West was gaining a distinguished reputation in England. Pratt stayed on in England for two and a half years as a pupil and colleague to West. It was during this time that he painted one of his best known works The American School.

In March 1768 he returned to America. Charles Willson Peale stated that at that time Matthew Pratt had a full-length portrait of John Dickinson and a considerable number of other works in progress. It was there that he met John Singleton Copley.

In 1760 he married Elizabeth Moore. Their children were: • Henry Charles Pratt (May 14, 1761 – 1838); • Charles Pratt, (September 10, 1763 – August 27, 1764); • Charles Pratt, (February 18, 1769 – August 13, 1770); • Mary Pratt, (July 20, 1771-?); • Thomas Phyle Pratt, (October 1, 1773 – April 12, 1869) • Elizabeth "Eliza" (née Pratt) Kugler, (August 2, 1776-?).

Pratt announced that he was recently returned from England and Ireland and also New York. He died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on January 9, 1805.

• T. Matthew Pratt (1790) watercolor on ivory 2 9/16" x 2 1/16" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art • Mrs. William Williamson (née Elizabeth Ann Timothy) (1775) watercolor and gouache on ivory 1 7/16" x 1 3/16" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art • Mrs. Clark (1770) watercolor on ivory 1 5/8" x 1 5/16" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The following galleries have works by Matthew Pratt: • The Metropolitan Museum of Art • The National Gallery of Art • Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester • National Portrait Gallery Washington D.C. • Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts • Princeton University Art Museum

Matthew Pratt is recorded as a citizen of United States. Recorded with the occupation painter. Classed in the genre portrait.