Artwork
Augustus Washington Clason
Augustus Washington Clason is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist John Wesley Jarvis. It dates from 1820 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Augustus Washington Clason, a New York merchant, sits in a dark coat against a plain background, his face softly lit and his expression calm. Jarvis painted him around 1820, as American artists were finding a style apart from Europe. The light falls simply and carefully, with no tricks, just clear attention to the man.
Subject & Meaning
Classified within the genre of portraiture, the work centers on Clason as its main subject, depicting a man in oil on canvas.
The painting is a portrait of Augustus Washington Clason, executed by John Wesley Jarvis in 1820. Classified within the genre of portraiture, the work centers on Clason as its main subject, depicting a man in oil on canvas. Both the cataloguing and Wikidata records identify the sitter explicitly, underscoring that the painting's purpose is commemorative rather than narrative or allegorical: it records the likeness of an individual rather than conveying symbolic or iconographic content beyond the conventions of early nineteenth-century American portraiture.
Technique & Style
The portrait of Augustus Washington Clason is executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for early nineteenth-century American portraiture. The work measures 76 cm in height by 63.5 cm in width, oriented as a vertical portrait format. Painted in 1820, the canvas supports a depiction of a male sitter rendered in the conventions of the genre.
Attribution is given to John Wesley Jarvis, with one record noting the work as attributed rather than firmly documented to the artist's hand. The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, classified within the institution's American Wing holdings.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Augustus Washington Clason, attributed to John Wesley Jarvis and dated 1820, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is classified within the museum's American Wing. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures 76 by 63.5 centimeters.
The available records do not document a specific accession number or any prior exhibition history for this painting.
Overview
John Wesley Jarvis painted this oil on canvas portrait, titled Augustus Washington Clason, around 1820. The artwork depicts its namesake, Augustus Washington Clason, a New York merchant. This piece offers insight into early American portraiture and the individuals who shaped the nation's burgeoning commercial landscape during the early nineteenth century.
Context
Created around 1820, this portrait emerged during a pivotal era when American artists sought to establish a distinct national style, moving away from European artistic conventions. Jarvis's work, with its clear focus on the individual and restrained aesthetic, exemplifies this period of artistic development. It contributes to the understanding of how American painters began to forge their own visual language.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Wesley Jarvis (1781–1839) was an American artist, born in South Shields.
