Thomas Abthorpe Cooper

About this work

This painting shows a man in a dark coat and crisp white cravat, sitting with one hand resting on his knee. His hair is neatly combed back, and he’s looking straight ahead with a serious expression. The background is plain and dark, keeping all focus on him. Notice how the artist used shadows to make the face stand out—especially around the eyes and jaw. That’s a trick to draw attention to the person’s expression. If you like this style, look up chiaroscuro next to see how it works.