| Samuel F. B. Morse (1791-1872) | ||
| Library of Congress
|
Morse amused his classmates at
Yale with his art, and when he graduated he wanted only to be an artist. He went to
England in 1811 to study art. Morse returned to the U.S. in 1815. He wanted to win the commission for the murals in the Capitol. John Q. Adams, a member of the selection committee, said he doubted any American artist would be good enough. A harsh reply in a newspaper was incorrectly accredited to Morse, and he had no chance at the commission. He supported himself as an art teacher while working on the telegraph. |
