Morse was an American artist who had gone to Britain to visit the American-born President of the Royal Academy Benjamin West, only to be stranded in London by the War of 1812.

Although Monroe met with the President in Charleston, there was no time for a portrait sitting and it was agreed that Morse would travel to Washington.

[2] In Washington, Morse found the president informal and he was invited to dinner three times.

Nonetheless, his completed full-length portrait was praised and the Academy of Arts in New York asked to exhibit it.

She said her father felt it was the only portrait that really looked like him, despite having been painted by other notable artists such as Gilbert Stuart.