Artwork

Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot

Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot, by Gilbert Stuart, oil, 1794
Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot, by Gilbert Stuart, oil, 1794

Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Gilbert Stuart. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.
07.75

About this work

A man in a dark coat and white cravat looks straight out, his powdered hair tied back, his lips just parted as if mid-sentence. Gilbert Stuart painted the Spanish diplomat Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot in 1794, the same year he painted the Washington portrait that ended up on the dollar bill. The skin seems lit from within.

Subject & Meaning

No specific iconographic attributes or deeper symbolic meanings beyond the straightforward depiction of the man are recorded in available sources.

Gilbert Stuart's 1794 portrait depicts Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot, a Spanish diplomat active in the United States. As a work within the portrait genre, the painting focuses on the physical likeness and individual presence of the sitter. The composition functions primarily as a record of its subject, capturing his visage and status.

No specific iconographic attributes or deeper symbolic meanings beyond the straightforward depiction of the man are recorded in available sources.

Technique & Style

Gilbert Stuart executed the portrait of Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot in 1794 using oil paint on canvas. The work measures approximately 128.9 centimeters in height and 101 centimeters in width. Classified as a portrait, the piece features the sitter rendered in Stuart's characteristic handling of the medium.

The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically in The American Wing. The formal presentation focuses on the subject through the traditional oil-on-canvas technique typical of Stuart's portraiture from this period.

History & Provenance

The portrait of Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot was created by Gilbert Stuart in 1794. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 128.9 centimeters in height and 101 centimeters in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified under The American Wing.

Specific commission details and the chain of ownership prior to the museum's acquisition are not documented in available sources.

Legacy

The portrait of Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot, painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1794, is recognized today for its place in the canon of early American portraiture. Its inclusion in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art has cemented its scholarly attention and public visibility, allowing the work to serve as a reference point for studies of Stuart's technique and the representation of Spanish-descended elites in the young republic. The museum's stewardship of the canvas underscores its lasting reputation as a benchmark of 18th-century portraiture.

Overview

This oil on canvas depicts Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot, a Spanish diplomat, painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1794. The portrait captures the sitter with a direct gaze, his lips slightly parted as if in conversation, conveying a sense of immediate presence. Stuart's distinctive brushwork imbues the subject with a lifelike quality, making the figure appear both formal and approachable.

Context

Painted in 1794, this work places Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot within the dynamic political landscape of early America, where he served as a Spanish envoy. This same year was pivotal for Gilbert Stuart, as he also created the preparatory studies for his renowned portrait of George Washington, which would later appear on the dollar bill. The painting thus reflects a period of significant diplomatic and artistic activity in the young nation.

Jean-Gérard Lacués, count of Cessac (1752-1841)
Jean-Gérard Lacués, count of Cessac (1752-1841), Henri-François Riesener

Artist & collection

Portrait of Gilbert Stuart

Artist

Gilbert Stuart

Gilbert Stuart (né Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter born in the Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists.

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot?

Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot was painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1794.

Where can I see Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot?

Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot?

Josef de Jaudenes y Nebot is associated with American Impressionism.