Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an unspecified painting by the Neoclassicist artist Charles Robertson. It dates from 1810 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts an unidentified male sitter, rendered in a conventional half‑length pose that emphasizes his facial features and attire.
The painting depicts an unidentified male sitter, rendered in a conventional half‑length pose that emphasizes his facial features and attire. The work functions as a straightforward portrait, a genre that in the early nineteenth century served to record the appearance and social standing of the subject. By presenting the man in a neutral setting without overt allegorical attributes, the artist relies on realistic likeness to convey identity and status rather than symbolic narrative.
The composition’s focus on the sitter’s gaze and clothing suggests a contemporary emphasis on personal dignity and the emerging bourgeois ideal of the respectable gentleman.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Man, painted by Charles Robertson in 1810, is classified as an early‑19th‑century portrait. The work was created as a likeness of an unidentified sitter and reflects the stylistic conventions of British portraiture of the period. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s catalogue, the painting entered the museum’s collection and has been on view there since its acquisition, establishing the museum as its current owner.
No earlier owners are documented in the available records, and no commission details have been identified. The dating is confirmed by the museum’s inscription of 1810‑01‑01 and by scholarly analysis of the artist’s activity.
The portrait is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Created by Charles Robertson in 1810, the work depicts a man and measures 61 by 50 centimeters. While the provided sources confirm its institutional location and physical dimensions, they do not specify a unique inventory or accession number for the piece.
Furthermore, the available documentation does not record any specific exhibition history or past display dates for this painting. The artwork remains part of the museum's permanent holdings as a portrait from the early nineteenth century.
Overview
Charles Robertson's Portrait of a Man, painted in 1810, is a small, oval depiction of an unidentified male sitter. This painting, rendered primarily in black and white tones, is currently housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It presents a focused study of its subject, emphasizing his facial features and formal attire from the early 19th century.
Technique & Style
The artist employed soft shading to create a sense of three-dimensionality in the sitter's face, particularly around the eyes and cheeks. This technique enhances the depth and realism of the features. The limited color palette, dominated by dark and light tones, draws the viewer's attention directly to the man's expression. The painting is presented within a metal ring, giving it the intimate appearance of a locket.
Artist & collection
- Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man, Said to Be Mr. De Wolf
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Man, Said to Be Mr. Fitzgerald
Charles Henry Hall
Portrait of a Man, Said to Be James Madison (1751–1836)
Unidentified Man
Dr. Henry Nicolls Kitchin
Augustus Vallette Van Horne, Jr.
Portrait of a Gentleman
Thomas Turner
Portrait of a Man, Said to Be Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859)
