Artwork
Portrait of an Old Man
Portrait of an Old Man is a drawing by the Impressionist artist John Kavanagh. It dates from 1884 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1944.8
- Credit line
- Gift of Mrs. A. J. Weatherhead
About this work
Overview
This charcoal drawing depicts a solemn, elderly man gazing directly at the viewer, rendered with meticulous attention to detail and a pronounced contrast of light and shadow.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, an unnamed old man, conveys a sense of gravity through his serious expression, inviting contemplation of age and experience.
Technique & Style
The work showcases the artist's proficiency in chiaroscuro, a technique emphasizing stark light-dark contrasts to achieve three-dimensional depth, characteristic of the training received at the Royal Academy in Munich.
History & Provenance
Created by John Kavanagh, a Cleveland-based artist, following his studies at the Royal Academy in Munich in the early 1880s, reflecting the academic influences of the time.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Arthur Joseph Conrad
Portrait of an Old Peasant Woman, in Profile to the Right
Mrs. Hedwig Berend
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Head of a Man with a Skullcap
Untitled
Profile of a Man with Sidewhiskers
Portrait of an Old Man
Selbstbildnis (Self-Portrait)
Head of a Peasant
Old man wearing an overcoat and cap
Male portrait