Cornelius Allerton
1822
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1822
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
A young boy in a black suit and white collar stares straight at you. His cheeks are rosy, his hair neatly combed. The background is plain brown. Ammi Phillips painted hundreds of people like this in small New England towns. He wasn’t formally trained—he started as a sign painter and taught himself to do portraits. This boy’s name is Cornelius Allerton, and the painting was made to hang in his family’s home. If you like this quiet, direct style, look up more works by Ammi Phillips.
