Thomas E. Stephens, 1884 – 1966
Thomas E. Stephens: The 2 Best-Known Paintings
Of all Thomas E. Stephens's paintings, Dwight D. Eisenhower (1947) is the most famous; it hangs in the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.. Among the 2 works by Thomas E. Stephens in our catalogue, these 2 are the most celebrated, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
Ranked by our popularity score, which combines the searches, visits and orders for each work. Updated November 2026.
- Born · died
- 1884 – 1966, Cardiff
- Works in our catalogue
- 2
- Most famous
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1947)
- Most works at
- National Portrait Gallery
Thomas E. Stephens's 10 most celebrated paintings
Where Thomas E. Stephens's canvases hang
The museum that holds the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Thomas E. Stephens | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 National Portrait Gallery |
Washington, D.C. | 2 | Dwight D. Eisenhower, George C. Marshall |
Year by year: Thomas E. Stephens's most celebrated canvases
Just 3 years, 1947 to 1949, separate the dated canvases of Thomas E. Stephens on this page: here is each year in paint.
-
1947
Canvas 1 of 2
Dwight D. Eisenhower
-
1949
Ranked 2 of 2George C. Marshall
Your questions on Thomas E. Stephens's paintings, answered
Which is the most celebrated painting by Thomas E. Stephens?Read the answer
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1947).
How old was Thomas E. Stephens at the time of Dwight D. Eisenhower?Read the answer
Thomas E. Stephens, born in 1884, was 63 years old: Dwight D. Eisenhower dates from 1947.
How many paintings by Thomas E. Stephens are known?Read the answer
2 works by Thomas E. Stephens are in our catalogue, dated 1947 to 1949.
Which museums hold Thomas E. Stephens's best-known canvases?Read the answer
Mostly in National Portrait Gallery (Washington, D.C.); the list above names each museum and its canvases.
What are the first and the last of Thomas E. Stephens's famous canvases?Read the answer
The earliest canvas here is Dwight D. Eisenhower (1947); the latest is George C. Marshall (1949).
What can I see by Thomas E. Stephens at the National Portrait Gallery?Read the answer
The National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C. holds 2 of the works on this page, among them Dwight D. Eisenhower and George C. Marshall.
Thomas E. Stephens: the painter's story
A Life in Portraiture
Born in Cardiff, Wales, Thomas E. Stephens was a Welsh-American artist and portrait painter. His formal artistic training began at the Art School of Cardiff University, followed by studies at the Heatherly School in London and the Académie Julian in Paris. Upon his arrival in the United States in 1929, one of his first subjects was a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. His mastery of the portrait genre led to significant commissions, including works of many judges and various leaders of the United States military.
His notable subjects included:
- Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower
- George C. Marshall
- Douglas MacArthur
- Harry Truman
- Winston Churchill
- The Duke of Windsor
Legacy and Collections
The works of Stephens are held in numerous prestigious institutions across the globe. His portrait of Eisenhower appeared on the front page of Time magazine in 1969. His paintings can be found in locations such as the White House, the National Gallery of Art, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Pentagon, and the Smithsonian Institution's Gallery of Presidents. Other notable repositories include the U.S. Naval Academy, the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene, Kansas, and the Legion of Honor Gallery in Paris.
Stephens was married to Evelyn Waring, and together they had two sons, Richard Waring and Peter John Stephens.