Artwork
Midshipman Augustus Brine
Midshipman Augustus Brine is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist John Singleton Copley. It dates from 1782 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
John Singleton Copley executed Midshipman Augustus Brine in 1782 using oil paint applied to a canvas support.
John Singleton Copley executed Midshipman Augustus Brine in 1782 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 127 centimetres in height and 101.6 centimetres in width, in keeping with formal portraiture of the era. As a portrait within The American Wing, the piece employs the artist's characteristic handling of oil to render the youth's features and naval attire with precision, with subtle modulation of light and texture typical of Copley's style during this period. The painting remains in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
John Singleton Copley painted Midshipman Augustus Brine in 1782, an oil on canvas portrait of the young naval officer, now classified within The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art under accession number 43.86.4. The work measures 127 cm by 101.6 cm. The sources confirm its current location and accession number but do not provide a detailed earlier provenance or exhibition history.
Context
Copley painted Midshipman Augustus Brine in 1782, during his career in London, where he had settled in 1775. The sitter was the young son of a British naval officer, and the portrait reflects the grand-manner British portrait conventions Copley adopted in England, distinct from the more linear style of his earlier American work. It is now held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing.
Overview
John Singleton Copley's 1782 oil on canvas work, Midshipman Augustus Brine, depicts a young boy in naval attire. The portrait captures Augustus Brine, son of a Boston loyalist, during a period of significant political upheaval. Painted in London, it reflects Copley's continued success as a portraitist after his relocation from colonial America.
The artwork is a notable example of his later career, showcasing his skill in rendering individual likeness and conveying a sense of quiet dignity.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents Augustus Brine in a blue naval uniform, his serious expression and composed posture suggesting a maturity beyond his years. His hand rests on a ship's rope, a subtle indicator of his maritime role. Created in London during the American Revolution, the portrait subtly conveys the broader themes of war and displacement, reflecting the circumstances of loyalist families who had left America for Britain.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Singleton Copley (July 3, 1738 – September 9, 1815) was an American-born British painter active in both the Thirteen Colonies and England.
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