Before TikTok, There Was Oil on Canvas: A 19th Century Fan Portrait of Lafayette

artist: Charles P. Harrison

When we think of “fan art”, our minds usually jump to modern pop culture (comic book heroes, movie stars, maybe even sports icons). Currently, a portrait of the Marquis de Lafayette displayed at Lafayette College proves that fan-made tributes have been around for centuries. Painted sometime between 1825 and 1850 by Charles P. Harrison, the work isn’t the product of a formally trained artist.

Harrison, an English immigrant living in Philadelphia, learned engraving and copper-plate printing from his father, but oil painting was not his strong suit. The proportion shows some of those technical gaps: slightly stiff proportions and a straightforward pose. It’s less about flawless technique and more about genuine admiration. Harrison was swept up in a wave of excitement that followed Lafayette’s 1825 farewell tour of America. The French general was celebrated as a living link to the Revolutionary War, and Americans couldn’t get enough of him. Harrison’s father-in-law had even served under both Washington and Lafayette, possibly giving the artist a chance to meet his hero in person. Inspired, Harrison not only painted this portrait but also named his newborn son Lafayette Felix Harrison. That’s dedication.

Now part of Lafayette College’s collection, the painting reminds us that reverence for public figures often sparks personal creativity. Nearly 200 years later, it stands as a testament that fan culture (whether through TikTok edits, Instagram art, or 19th-century oil on canvas) has always been about ordinary people finding ways to honor figures who inspire them.