Artwork
Gentlemen's Still Life
Gentlemen's Still Life is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist John O'Brien Inman. It dates from 1871 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left: J. O' B Inman 1871
About this work
Technique & Style
As a still life, the composition focuses on the arrangement of objects, rendered through the artist's handling of oil paint to capture texture and form.
John O'Brien Inman's Gentlemen's Still Life, executed in 1871, is an oil painting on a wood support. The work measures 20.96 cm in height and 21.59 cm in width, presenting a compact format typical of intimate genre scenes. As a still life, the composition focuses on the arrangement of objects, rendered through the artist's handling of oil paint to capture texture and form. The piece is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
Gentlemen's Still Life was created by John O'Brien Inman in 1871, executed in oil on wood. The documented ownership chain begins with the dealer Cantor-Roughton in Los Angeles. In 2001, the painting was purchased by William H. (1929–2020) and Abigail Booth Gerdts of New York.
The Gerdtses later gave the work to the National Gallery of Art in 2018, accompanied by documentation from Abigail Booth Gerdts placed in the NGA curatorial files.
The sources do not record a commission, an earlier ownership history prior to the Los Angeles dealer, or any exhibition history for the work.
Gentlemen's Still Life is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C. The work entered the museum in 2018 as a gift from Abigail Booth Gerdts, who acquired it in 2001 together with William H. Gerdts; the acquisition was documented in NGA curatorial files. Its accession number is not published in the available records. Exhibition records for the painting are not listed in the cited sources.
Overview
John O'Brien Inman's painting, Gentlemen's Still Life, created in 1871, is an oil on wood composition. It presents a close-up view of a wooden box, prominently labeled "IOLA Colora," surrounded by an assortment of everyday objects. These items, including coins, a ruler, and scissors, are arranged on a red cloth, emerging from a subdued background. The work exemplifies a common genre of the period, focusing on domestic or personal items.
Subject & Meaning
The central element of the painting is a wooden box, slightly askew, bearing the inscription "IOLA Colora." Around it, a collection of small, utilitarian items is loosely scattered across a red fabric. These include a pair of scissors, a ruler, a few coins, and a small, open container, suggesting a moment of pause or disarray.
While the label hints at a connection to color or dyes, the precise purpose or contents of the box are left to the viewer's interpretation.
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