Artwork
Egbert Benson
Egbert Benson is an oil painting by the Romanticist artist John Vanderlyn. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 33.120.619
- Credit line
- Bequest of Alphonso T. Clearwater, 1933
About this work
A man in a dark coat against a plain background, his face lit softly from the side. He is Egbert Benson, a New York lawyer and politician, painted by John Vanderlyn in 1794. A small red wax seal on the back of the canvas marks its first owner, and the side light keeps Benson's expression alive against the plainer rest.
Technique & Style
The application of paint on a woven textile support reflects the conventional artistic practices of the American Wing's collection during this period.
Executed in 1794, this portrait of Egbert Benson by John Vanderlyn is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures approximately 75.6 by 60.6 cm, adhering to standard portrait dimensions of the late eighteenth century. As a formal depiction, the piece utilizes traditional oil media to render the likeness of its male subject.
The application of paint on a woven textile support reflects the conventional artistic practices of the American Wing's collection during this period. The composition focuses strictly on the sitter, employing the durability and blending capabilities of oil pigments to capture facial features and attire typical of the era's portraiture genre.
History & Provenance
John Vanderlyn painted the oil-on-canvas portrait of Egbert Benson in 1794. The work entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, where it is classified within The American Wing, and is recorded as an oil on canvas measuring 75.6 × 60.6 cm depicting the sitter Egbert Benson. No further details regarding an original commission, intermediate owners, or successive transfers of custody are documented in the available sources, leaving the chain of possession prior to the museum's acquisition unspecified.
The documentation does not include a specific inventory or accession number, nor does it record any exhibition history for the piece.
Overview
John Vanderlyn's oil on canvas portrait, Egbert Benson, dates to approximately 1794. This work, part of The American Wing collection, captures the likeness of its namesake, a prominent New York lawyer and politician. The painting exemplifies early American portraiture, presenting its subject with a direct and focused gaze.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of this portrait is Egbert Benson (1746–1833), a significant figure in early American legal and political life. He served as New York's first Attorney General and later as a U.S. Representative. Vanderlyn's depiction presents Benson as a composed and thoughtful individual, reflecting the gravitas associated with his public roles during a formative period for the new nation.
Context
This portrait by John Vanderlyn belongs to a tradition of early American portraiture that sought to capture the likenesses of the nation's founders and prominent citizens. Artists like Vanderlyn, alongside contemporaries such as Gilbert Stuart, played a crucial role in defining the visual identity of the new republic, often emphasizing character and civic virtue through their depictions.
Artist & collection
