Could the similarities in facial structure and hair show a very close kinship between the two men pictured here?

Question

I wanted to share this family photo of Alexander Hamilton and Archibald (Douglas) Hamilton with the community.

Archibald Douglas Hamilton 9th Duke of Hamilton (1740-1819) Y-DNA I2a2a1 (on left) and Alexander Hamilton 1st USA Secretary of Treasury (1757-1804) Y-DNA I1a2a1a (on right).

Click here for the image details page or here for the full-sized version (4038 x 2706).

Comments

It's extraordinarily difficult to go by painted portraits since there's no telling how much creative license was taken. But I actually don't see a great deal of resemblance. Very different earlobes, the nasal columella and lower lateral cartilages are different, and the eye structures are different.

If the yDNA haplogroups are correct, we can at least be certain the two men shared no common patrilineal ancestor within the genealogical timeframe. Subclades I1 and I2 split (bifurcated) sometime around 26,000 to 28,000 years before present, so that would be the most recent they could have had a fatherline ancestor.

Answer 1

Sorry, but I do not see the slightest similarity between the two men.  Their hairlines are different, their eyebrows are different, their noses are different, their lips are different...what makes you think they look similar?

Comments

Superimpose the two figures and then view Archibald's picture with lighter transparency placed over Alexander's. An updated Paint 3D works well.

Answer 2

I don't know if I got the right Archibald Hamilton, but the Archibald Hamilton on WikiTree and Alexander Hamilton are connected by a marriage, but I didn't see a blood connection, at least at first glance.  Both are my cousins!

Archibald's connection to Alexander

Comments

You chose Archibald Hamilton who is Hamilton-4597. The mentioned Archibald Hamilton 9th Duke of Hamilton is Hamilton-12 on wikitree. Still are your cousins

Answer 3

Even assuming they do look very similar, it is very common for people to look very similar but not be closely related - eg doppelgangers. I suspect most of us have had the experience of being asked by a stranger if we are some unrelated person whom they know because we look just like them. "Looking similar to" a person is not enough to presume a close relationship.