Artwork
Portrait of G. Salomon
Portrait of G. Salomon is an unspecified painting by Erxleben James. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Leiden University Libraries.
About this work
Overview
The work presents a solitary figure, a man dressed in a dark coat, rendered with a sharply illuminated face that emerges from a subdued background. The composition concentrates attention on the sitter, whose features are defined against minimal surroundings, creating a direct and unembellished visual encounter.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts G. Salomon, whose identity is conveyed through the formal attire and the restrained expression. The stark lighting and plain backdrop suggest a focus on personal character rather than narrative context, inviting viewers to consider the individual's presence and status within the limited visual frame.
Technique & Style
Executed in paint after an original work by C.H. Hodges, the piece translates a printed image back into a painted surface. Fine, layered brushstrokes give the coat a tactile thickness, while the controlled chiaroscuro models the face, balancing realism with the flatness typical of a work derived from a print source.
History & Provenance
Originally based on a painting by C.H. Hodges, this version was produced as a painted copy of a prior print, reflecting 19th‑century practices of reproducing popular images. It entered the collection of the Museum of Ethnography, where it remains on display, documenting both the subject’s historical portraiture and the era’s reproduction techniques.
Context
The portrait belongs to a period when portraiture often served documentary and commemorative functions, especially for figures of local or professional significance. By reproducing an existing image, the work illustrates the circulation of visual representations before photographic processes became widespread, highlighting the interplay between print and paint in visual culture.
