Artwork
Young Man on a Terrace
Young Man on a Terrace is an oil painting. It dates from 1730 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on a canvas support, a medium typical of American eighteenth-century portraiture. Measuring approximately 51.5 cm high by 66 cm wide, it depicts a young man posed on a terrace, reflecting the genre's concern with costume, setting, and genteel bearing. The handling appears smooth and controlled, consistent with the period's academic approach to likeness.
History & Provenance
1870) of Clermont, New York, before being sold to Thurston Thacher of Hyde Park, New York.
The painting Young Man on a Terrace is dated to circa 1730. Its provenance begins with John Sanders (1714–1782) of Scotia, New York, passing to his son John Sanders II (1757–1834), then to his daughter Mary Elizabeth Sanders, wife of Harold Wilson of Germantown, New York. The work descended to their daughters Anne (b. 1867) and Jane Wilson (b. 1870) of Clermont, New York, before being sold to Thurston Thacher of Hyde Park, New York.
Thacher sold it in 1952 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who donated it to the National Gallery of Art in 1953, where it is catalogued under accession number 1953.1.3.
Legacy
After remaining in the Sanders-Wilson family for generations, the painting was sold in 1952 to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who donated it to the National Gallery of Art in 1953. There it became part of the museum's American portrait holdings and continues to be studied as an example of early American colonial portraiture. Scholars cite the work in surveys of eighteenth-century American art, noting its refined brushwork and the sitter's poised demeanor as indicative of the period's portrait conventions.
Overview
Young Man on a Terrace is an oil painting that presents a solitary figure in an outdoor setting. The artwork portrays a young man dressed in a striking red and green outfit, positioned on a terrace. He leans against a large vase brimming with flowers, which rests on a stone balustrade.
A calm landscape featuring trees and a bridge extends into the background, contributing to the painting's overall sense of elegance and composure.
Subject & Meaning
The central subject is a young man whose elaborate attire, complete with intricate buttons and a bow at the neck, suggests a particular social status or fashion sensibility. His pose, with one hand resting on the ornate flower vase and the other on his hip, conveys a relaxed yet dignified presence. The terrace setting, overlooking a tranquil vista, places the figure within an environment that speaks to cultivated taste and refinement.
Artist & collection
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