Artwork
Lucia Leonard
Lucia Leonard is an oil painting by the Romanticist artist Luther Allen. It dates from 1801 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right, one-third up from bottom: L. Allen, Pi / 1801
About this work
It’s worth comparing Allen’s tight brushwork to Gilbert Stuart’s loose style.
This small portrait shows a young woman with fair skin and dark hair. She wears a simple dark dress with a white collar. Her direct gaze meets ours.
Painted in 1801, this is one of Luther Allen’s few known works. Allen rarely signed his paintings, so this one stands out. Lucia Leonard Burbank was just 22 when Allen painted her.
It’s worth comparing Allen’s tight brushwork to Gilbert Stuart’s loose style.
History & Provenance
The oil-on-canvas portrait of Lucia Leonard Burbank was created by the artist Luther Allen in 1801. Originally recorded as originating from Belvedere, New Jersey, the work entered a notable modern ownership chain when it was purchased in 1950 by the collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Two years later, in 1953, the Garbisch couple donated the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains part of the permanent collection. The physical dimensions of the canvas measure 61 centimeters in height and 45.7 centimeters in width.
Lucia Leonard is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., having entered the collection as a gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch in 1953. The Garbisches had purchased the painting in 1950, and its earlier provenance is recorded as Belvedere, New Jersey.
The work is documented in the National Gallery of Art's records as an oil on canvas dated 1801 by Luther Allen. No exhibition history beyond the documented provenance chain is recorded in the available sources.
Overview
Lucia Leonard is an oil on canvas portrait created by Luther Allen in 1801. This small painting depicts Lucia Leonard Burbank, a young woman of 22 years at the time of its creation. She is presented with fair skin and dark hair, wearing a simple dark dress accented by a white collar. Her direct gaze engages the viewer, establishing an immediate connection.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, Allen's portrait of Lucia Leonard Burbank demonstrates a meticulous approach to brushwork. The artist employed a tight, controlled application of paint, which contrasts with the looser, more expressive techniques favored by some of his contemporaries, such as Gilbert Stuart. This precision contributes to the defined features and smooth surfaces visible in the sitter's depiction.
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