Artwork
Josiah Ingersoll, Master-Warden of the Port of New York
Josiah Ingersoll, Master-Warden of the Port of New York is a pastel drawing by the Romanticist artist James Sharples. It dates from 1751 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This pastel portrait, created by James Sharples, is a representation of Josiah Ingersoll, a significant figure in New York's early 19th-century maritime administration.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Josiah Ingersoll, Master-Warden of the Port of New York, conveying a sense of quiet authority as he gazes directly at the viewer.
Technique & Style
Executed in pastel on light gray wove paper, the portrait's delicate, ephemeral quality is achieved through the medium's characteristic softness and the artist's swift, expressive handling.
History & Provenance
The work is dated to around the early 1800s, corresponding with Ingersoll's tenure as Master-Warden, and is part of The American Wing collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Sharples (1751 or 1752, in Lancashire – 26 February 1811, in New York City) was an English portrait painter and pastelist, who moved to the United States in 1794. He first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1779.
