Object Story: Portrait of Hatter John Mays of Schaefferstown

John Mays (possibly Mace) (1813-1898) was a hatter in the market town of Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania. The fashionable attire he wears may reflect the fact that his father was a tailor. Schaefferstown, located at a major crossroads between Harrisburg and Lancaster, catered to wealthy travelers and business people. John Mays was about twenty-four years old at the time of this portrait. Art historians believe he (or a member of his family) may have hired artist Jacob Maentel to make this portrait to celebrate the opening of what may have been his new hat shop in Schaefferstown.

Mays must have wanted his portrait to show him at his place of work, and this makes the portrait unusual. Most portrait subjects liked to be portrayed in an idealized setting of their choice, either in nature, with elegant furniture, or in no setting at all. Why did Mays choose to be painted in his place of work? This is one of just a few works of art produced by Jacob Maentel that depicts someone in their workplace. This portrait could be a symbol of the way that newly successful Americans were claiming their own identity as a country of middle-class people who were proud of their work. Many of the details in the painting also reflect the fashion of the time, and John Mays was clearly showing his status and place as a "self-made man" in society.

The Self-Made Man and the American Dream

One of the myths or stories that many Americans share as part of their national identity is the idea that if someone works hard, they can “make it” in America; that through hard work, persistence and a little luck, the “American Dream” is achievable for everyone. The “American Dream” is the notion that all people can make a good life for themselves in the US, and that they have access to opportunities to become more financially successful and to prosper. Is that always the case? What might be some of the barriers to “making it” in America? While literature and popular culture have constructed the figure of “the self-made American man,” how might experiences of “making it” be different for other Americans? 

Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth century, many of the ideals of the self-made man and achieving the American Dream began to be associated with consumerism. Having access to a wealth of resources and materials, the availability and access to goods, and a variety of choices became an important way that people could show achievement. Those things could be clothing, possessions, or property. The early colonists and early Americans were no different. They took a lot of clues about the display of wealth and status from the traditions in Europe. Showing you had arrived in a better class in society was (and still is) often depicted by the clothing you wore or possessions you owned. By displaying these material goods you could show your success and achievement to others without saying a word.

About the Artist

Jacob Maentel was a German immigrant and most likely a self-taught artist. Most European and many American artists apprenticed in exclusive programs and had impressive credentials. But Maentel made his own way without a lot of money or status as a traveling portrait artist. Maentel’s is one of those stories that Americans like best: a common man whose persistent effort led to success.

While still in Germany he was drafted into the French military and emigrated to the United States around 1805 and lived in and around part of Maryland and Pennsylvania. By 1812 he had enlisted in the local militia to fight in the war of 1812 against Great Britain. He painted many military officers and their families while he was in the army.

Maentel produced over two-hundred portraits in his lifetime. They were mostly commissioned by German Americans in the areas where he lived, like John Mays, who were successful enough to pay for a portrait, but not wealthy enough to pay for one made by a well-trained artist. In fact, not everyone was thrilled with the quality of Maentel’s work. There are stories of his portraits being used as drawer liners, shoved in closets, and even burned by their owners. But his story is more about effort and less about talent.

Questions for Discussion

• How important is work and achievement to your identity?
• How do your possessions demonstrate aspects of your achievements?
• What might an individual wear today to show they have "arrived?"
• When you see an image of a top hat, what do you think?
• Schaefferstown was founded in 1758 and because of its location became very prosperous. By about 1805 there were more than one-hundred families living there and two churches, and by the middle of the nineteenth century there were multiple hat factories, cigar manufacturers, and blanket and carpet weaving industries. It also boasted one of the first water-works in the country providing access to water for residents.
  • How might the geography of a town contribute to its success?
  • How might the success of a town contribute to the success of its residents?