Who painted Amos Lawrence?

Amos Lawrence was painted by Chester Harding in c. 1845.

Where can I see Amos Lawrence?

Amos Lawrence is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Amos Lawrence?

Amos Lawrence is associated with American Folk Art.

Can I buy a print of Amos Lawrence?

Museum-quality prints of Amos Lawrence are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Amos Lawrence

Chester Harding , 1845

Amos Lawrence is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Chester Harding. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Amos Lawrence sits in old-fashioned dress, his hands and face rendered with a lifelike touch. His clothing and bearing mark him as a man of means. Chester Harding, oil on canvas, 1845.

Technique & Style

The work measures 215 centimeters in height and 136 centimeters in width, establishing it as a large-scale formal likeness.

Executed in 1845 by Chester Harding, this portrait of Amos Lawrence is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 215 centimeters in height and 136 centimeters in width, establishing it as a large-scale formal likeness. As a painted portrait, the piece utilizes traditional oil pigments applied to a woven fabric support, a standard medium for significant commissioned figures of the mid-nineteenth century.

The work remained within the Lawrence family lineage before entering the National Gallery of Art collection. No specific details regarding the artist's brushwork, surface condition, or distinct stylistic handling are provided in the available records beyond the fundamental classification of the work as an oil on canvas portrait.

History & Provenance

Chester Harding executed this oil-on-canvas portrait of Amos Lawrence in 1845. The work remained with the sitter [1786–1852] in Boston until his death, then passed to his wife, Nancy Lawrence [d. 1866], and afterward to their son, William R. Lawrence. It descended through the family to Francis W. Lawrence and his wife, Lucilla T. Lawrence, of Brookline, Massachusetts, and later to Robert M. Lawrence and the Rt.

Rev. William Lawrence [d. 1941] of Boston by 1923. Following Bishop Lawrence's death, his children donated the painting to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1944. No prior exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Amos Lawrence is an oil on canvas painting created by Chester Harding around 1845. This portrait depicts the individual for whom it is named, Amos Lawrence. The work serves as a representative example of portraiture from the mid-19th century, capturing the likeness of a notable figure through the medium of oil paint.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter, Amos Lawrence, is presented in a seated posture, attired in period clothing that suggests a position of social standing. His composed demeanor and the quality of his attire indicate a man of considerable means and influence. The portrait thus functions not merely as a likeness but also as a visual affirmation of his status within society.