Artwork
Dr. Philemon Tracy
Dr. Philemon Tracy is an oil painting. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This painting, titled Dr.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Philemon Tracy, a Massachusetts physician active in the late eighteenth century, as indicated by its provenance and catalogue records.
The portrait depicts Dr. Philemon Tracy, a Massachusetts physician active in the late eighteenth century, as indicated by its provenance and catalogue records. The composition centers on the sitter's bust, rendered in a restrained palette typical of early American portraiture, which emphasizes his social standing and professional identity rather than narrative incident. The work's posthumous bequest to the National Gallery of Art underscores its role in preserving the visual memory of a figure associated with regional medical practice in New England during the early republic.
Technique & Style
The portrait of Dr. Philemon Tracy, executed in 1790, is an oil painting characterized by a complex layered support structure. The artist applied the oil paint directly onto paper, which was subsequently mounted onto a board and finally adhered to a canvas backing. This multi-layered approach to the support distinguishes the physical construction of the work.
The painting measures 79.1 cm in height and 73.4 cm in width. As an 18th-century American portrait, the work captures the sitter with the formal conventions typical of the period's portraiture.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Dr. Philemon Dorr Tracy was executed in 1790 by an American artist of the 18th century, using oil on paper applied to board and then to canvas. Its early ownership traced back to Massachusetts, passing through the sitter's family to Mrs. John Tracy Duncan in Grenada, Mississippi, where it remained until 1962. That year the work was consigned by the W.E. Browne Decorating Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and purchased by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who later bequeathed it to the National Gallery of Art in 1980.
The painting is catalogued as a portrait in the Gallery's collection, with dimensions of 79.1 cm by 73.4 cm.
Overview
This painting, titled Dr. Philemon Tracy, depicts a seated male figure. Executed in oil on a layered support of paper, board, and canvas, the work presents a formal portrait. The subject is shown within an interior setting, characterized by patterned wallpaper and a window, suggesting a domestic or professional environment.
Artist & collection
