Portrait of Peter Cooper

Peter Cooper (1791–1883) was an American industrialist, inventor, and philanthropist who founded Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City. This portrait captures Cooper late in life, dressed in formal Victorian attire, his distinctive long white beard and hair marking him as a prominent public figure of the nineteenth century. Cooper's legacy extended beyond manufacturing and railroads to education and civic involvement, establishing an institution that provided free education to talented students regardless of financial means.