William Morris Hunt
1886
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1886
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This is a black-and-white portrait of an older man with a full white beard and bald head. His face is lit from the side, showing deep shadows under his nose and chin. The background is plain, keeping all focus on his wrinkled skin and serious expression. The artist used shading to make the face look three-dimensional, almost like sculpting with light. This style was common in the 1800s for portraits. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this lighting trick works.
