1835
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
John Childe is a 1835 unspecified by Chester (Charles) Harding, a American Folk Art work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a man in a dark coat and white cravat, sitting with one hand resting on a chair arm. His face is serious, with short dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard. The background is a simple dark red, and the lighting focuses on his face and hands. The artist used soft brushstrokes to blend shadows and light, especially on his neck and cheek. This was a common way to make portraits look more lifelike in the early 1800s. Look up sfumato to see how artists like this created smooth, shadowy transitions.
Chester Harding (September 1, 1792 – April 1, 1866) was an American portrait painter known for his paintings of prominent figures in the United States and England.
See the richer artist page
