Duncan, Alexander (1805-1889)
Role:Dates:
Portrait Location: Library Annex
Artist: Lazarus, Jacob H. (1822-1891)
Portrait Date:
Medium:
Dimensions: 39
Framed Dimensions: 54
Brown Portrait Number: 44
Brown Historical Property Number: 1284
Alexander Duncan was, as his name suggests, a Scotsman by birth. Born in 1805, he arrived in the United States in 1822, at seventeen years of age. Duncan's father had made a trip to the American continent in 1797, and there had purchased significant parcels of land, so when his son arrived in the U.S., it was as a propertied, rather than penniless, man. Duncan attended Yale University, graduating in 1825, and like so many of his contemporaries, decided to study law. In 1827, the young lawyer became a United States citizen and married Sarah Butler, the daughter of Samuel Butler and the niece of Cyrus Butler, one of Providence's wealthiest and most influential businessmen. Two years after they were married, the couple moved from New York to Rhode Island, where Sarah Butler Duncan's doting uncle, Cyrus, took his niece's husband into the family business (which was a profitable m?lange of banking, real estate, and mercantile interests). As an associate of Cyrus Butler, Duncan quickly achieved both wealth and prominence in Providence. He served on a variety of social and civic boards, and, like his mentor Cyrus Butler, he made significant philanthropic contributions to Rhode Island. Butler, along with Nicholas Brown, helped found and fund Butler Hospital, and Duncan continued the tradition of supporting this institution, building the David Duncan ward. He also was a benefactor of Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University. He served as a trustee of Brown University from 1843-1850, and was a fellow of the school from 1850-1889. At the time of his death, Duncan enjoyed the odd distinction of being what a past university archivist has delicately termed, "the largest taxpayer in Rhode Island." He spent much of his retirement in England, but maintained his ties to Rhode Island until his death in 1889.
This painting was given by the alumni association of 1882. It was painted by Jacob H. Lazarus (1822-1891), who had been a student of Henry Inman, the distinguished American portrait painter. Lazarus maintained a studio in New York City.