Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting. It dates from 1810 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:originally falsely signed and dated, lower left, now removed: R. Earl Pinx / 1798
About this work
Subject & Meaning
' Created in 1810 by an American artist of the nineteenth century, the painting functions as a straightforward portrait.
The work depicts a single male figure, identified in catalog records simply as a 'man.' Created in 1810 by an American artist of the nineteenth century, the painting functions as a straightforward portrait. The available documentation does not assign a specific name to the sitter, nor does it describe any identifiable attributes, objects, or background elements that would suggest a deeper allegorical meaning or specific iconographic program.
Consequently, the subject is understood primarily as an individual representation of a man from the early nineteenth century, without further symbolic elaboration recorded in the provided sources.
Technique & Style
Portrait of a Man is executed in oil on a wood panel, a support consistent with American portrait practice of the early nineteenth century. The painted surface measures 76.5 by 61.6 centimeters, presenting the sitter in a vertical format suited to a half- or three-quarter-length depiction of a single male figure. The work is classified as a painting within the portrait genre and is held in the Andrew W. Mellon Collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The choice of oil on panel, rather than canvas, reflects a handling associated with smaller-scale, carefully finished likenesses of the period, allowing for crisp detail in the facial features and costume.
History & Provenance
The work, a portrait of an unidentified man painted in oil on wood around 1810 by an American nineteenth-century artist, entered the art market through Rose M. de Forest of New York, who sold it to Thomas B. Clarke on 15 January 1917. Clarke later offered it at the American Art Galleries sale on 7 January 1919 (lot 20), after which it passed to Charles A. Munn. Munn repurchased the piece for Clarke in 1920, and following Clarke's death it remained in his estate until the 1936 disposal of his collection, handled by M. Knoedler & Co. and acquired by the A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust.
The Trust gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1947, where it is held under accession number 1947.17.1 as part of the Andrew W. Mellon Collection.
Overview
Portrait of a Man presents a male figure seated within a simple interior setting. Rendered in oil on a wooden panel, the painting depicts its subject in historical clothing, characterized by a serious expression and a composed, still posture. This work reflects the prevailing conventions of its time, which prioritized a formal and realistic depiction of the sitter.
Artist & collection
