born March 20, 1811, Augusta county, Va., U.S.
died July 7, 1879, Kansas City, Mo.
U.S. painter and frontier politician.
He studied briefly at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, but he was largely self-taught. He entered politics in Missouri and worked as an itinerant portrait painter before turning to the lively routines of frontier life for inspiration. Bingham is known for his incisive characterizations, clear, golden light, and talent for organizing large, dense compositions. His best-known works include Fur Traders Descending the Missouri (1845) and Jolly Flatboatmen (1846).