William Dunlap Enter a
feeling, not
a gallery.
Choose a mood and the room itself answers — the light cools or warms, the air changes pace, and only the works that carry that feeling step forward from the dark. Everything else recedes into shadow.
William Dunlap
William Dunlap: A Pioneer of American Theater and Art Early Life and Education Born: February 19, 1766, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Dunlap was the son of an army officer wounded at the Battle of Quebec in 1759. He demonstrated artistic talent early on, producing a portrait of George Washington in 1783 while staying at Rockingham in Rocky Hill. He later pursued formal art training under Benjamin West in London and briefly with
Abraham Delanoy in New York. A Career in the Theater Upon returning to America in 1787, Dunlap dedicated himself almost entirely to the theater for eighteen years. He became a pivotal figure in the burgeoning American theatrical scene, managing two of New York City’s most prominent theaters: the John Street Theatre (1796–98) and the Park Theatre (1798–1805). Dunlap was not only a manager but also a prolific playwright, produci…
