Artwork
Nathaniel Hurd
Nathaniel Hurd is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist John Singleton Copley. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a portrait genre piece, the medium and handling reflect the standard oil-on-canvas practices of mid-18th century American portraiture.
The sole surviving visual record of Nathaniel Hurd is a portrait executed by John Singleton Copley in 1765. This work is a painting created using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The physical dimensions of the canvas are 76.2 cm in height and 64.8 cm in width.
As a portrait genre piece, the medium and handling reflect the standard oil-on-canvas practices of mid-18th century American portraiture. The painting resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. No specific details regarding the brushwork, layering techniques, or current physical condition of the paint surface are provided in the available records, though the work remains a significant oil painting from the colonial period.
History & Provenance
Created in 1765, this oil-on-canvas portrait depicts Nathaniel Hurd and was executed by the American artist John Singleton Copley within the United States. The work measures 76.2 by 64.8 centimeters. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the immediate ownership chain following its completion are not detailed in the available records, the painting eventually entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
It is currently held by this institution, where it remains part of the permanent holdings as a key example of Copley's portraiture from the mid-eighteenth century.
Overview
John Singleton Copley’s 1765 oil painting, Nathaniel Hurd, captures a formal portrait of its namesake subject. This work showcases Copley’s skill in rendering individual likenesses, a hallmark of his career during the colonial period. The painting is currently part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait presents Nathaniel Hurd seated, his hands clasped, and his gaze directed forward with a solemn expression. He is dressed in a brown coat with distinctive red cuffs and a white collar. On the table before him, two leather-bound books and a dark cloth are arranged, elements that might allude to his profession or intellectual interests.
Context
John Singleton Copley established his reputation as a prominent portraitist in colonial New England, where he primarily depicted affluent members of society. Born in America, Copley developed a distinctive style before his eventual relocation to London in 1774, a move that marked a significant transition in his artistic career.
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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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