The "Auction House Features Painting By Jacob Eichholtz" Story

Mrs. Gibson painted by Jacob Eichholtz

It was an ordinary day.  Opened my email and there was one email telling me about a local auction house nearby that just auctioned off a $270,600 16th-century suit of armor with a royal history as well as a painting which sold for $19,200 which was painted by Lancaster artist Jacob Eichholtz.  The former didn't much excite me, but the latter did, for I have written about Mr. Eichholtz in the past.  The painting by Mr. Eicholtz, who was known for his romantic portraitures, was titled "Mrs. Gibson."   For years, as a member of the St. James Episcopal Church boys choir and then as a member of the adult choir, I sat in the choir stalls which was directly in front of one of Mr. Eicholtz's beautiful paintings titled "The Crucifixion".  

Rather hard to see, but The Crucifixion is on the far
right, about halfway from the top of the photograph.

Even when the church was dark, the painting would come alive with the lights that shined on it from a few different directions.  The painting was presented to the church in 1915 where it hung for years until it was relocated to the chapel which at one time was the church's choir room.  As a boy I could tell you which parts of the painting reflected the most light and which parts receded into the painting the most.  

The painting now hangs in the chapel.

Jacob Eichholtz began his career in Lancaster as a sign painter and coppersmith.  For years he made copper tea kettles and entryway signs.  Eventually he found his way to portraiture painting in 1801.  That was about the same time that noted portraitist Thomas Sully came to Lancaster to paint portraits of its leading citizens.  Jacob gave him a room to use as a studio and Sully began to offer advice to Jacob in his attempt to paint portraitures.  Eichholtz later wrote that "Chance about this time threw a painter into the town of my residence.  This in a moment decided my fate as to the arts."  Mr. Eichholtz painted mainly in Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland and exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.  In 1823 he moved to Philadelphia where he painted portraitures, but relocated back to Lancaster in 1830 where he eventually died in 1842.  

A copper mug made by Jacob Eichholtz.

During Mr. Eichholtz's 35 year career as a portrait artist he painted over 800 portraits.  Hundreds of his works are housed in art museums, historical societies and private collections throughout the United States.  Jacob married Catharine Hatz Michael, a young widow with two children; they had four children of their own.  Catharine died in 1817 and he then married Catharine Trissler of Lancaster and they had nine children.  Upon his death in 1842, he was buried in the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church graveyard on South Duke Street.  

Self portraiture

In the early 1850s the church sought to expand its churchyard so the churh relocated the majority of the gravestones and remains to the Woodward Hill Cemetery.  Jacob Eichholtz's remains were included in that move.  He was reburied in the same grave together with both his wives and their children.  Today the tombstone is unreadable due to age and acid rain.  For years the artistic legacy of Mr. Eichholtz was overlooked.  He did gain some fame after painting portraitures of Thaddeus Stevens and James Buchanan.  These two paintings are considered the best portraitures of these statesmen.  And, today the sale of one of his paintings at auction for almost $20,000 proved that his artistry is still appreciated by fine artists.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

James Buchanan

Thaddeus Stevens