Open full image Pin

Mrs. John R. Johnston

John R. Johnston

1857

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Impressionism Realism Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Mrs. John R. Johnston is a 1857 by John R. Johnston, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: John R. Johnston
When & what style?: 1857 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a woman sitting in a chair, looking straight at you. She's posed at an angle, which makes the portrait interesting. This angle and her direct gaze suggest a strong personality, and the way she's dressed shows her social status. The woman's dress and jewelry are detailed, which tells us about her life. Her expression is calm and confident, which makes you wonder about her story. You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist John R. Johnston (American, 1820–1872).

The story of this work

Overview

Active in the worlds of theather and music, Johnston was also a distinguished portrait painter, a remarkable photographer, and one of the supreme photo colorists. By the mid-1850s, he resided in Baltimore where he associated with Jesse H. Whitefurst, who was better known than Matthew Brady and one of the most important studio operators at that time. This portrait is a tour-de-force of personal expression, both on the part of the sitter and the artist. In the angled three-quarter-length pose, Mrs. Johnston, with head tilted, gazes directly toward the camera's lens. For the period, this…

Read the full account in the museum source.