Artwork
Joseph Reade
Joseph Reade is an oil painting by the Baroque artist John Wollaston the Younger. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
John Wollaston's 1750 portrait depicts Joseph Reade, a man whose identity serves as the central subject of the painting.
John Wollaston's 1750 portrait depicts Joseph Reade, a man whose identity serves as the central subject of the painting. As a work within the portrait genre, the artwork functions to represent and memorialize the sitter. While the sources confirm the primary subject is Reade himself, they do not provide specific details regarding additional iconography, symbolic attributes, or deeper allegorical meanings embedded within the composition. The painting's significance rests fundamentally on its role as a visual record of its named male subject.
Technique & Style
The portrait of Joseph Reade is an oil painting on canvas, created in 1750 by John Wollaston. The work measures 76.2 cm in height and 63.5 cm in width, typical dimensions for a bust-length portrait of the period. Executed in oil paint on a stretched canvas support, the piece exemplifies 18th-century portrait technique with a realistic rendering of the sitter and a restrained palette.
As a work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, it is classified as a portrait genre painting and retains the original brushwork and surface details.
History & Provenance
John Wollaston's 1750 oil-on-canvas portrait of Joseph Reade is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically within its American Wing. The work measures 76.2 by 63.5 centimeters and depicts the sitter as a man in a formal portrait genre. While the provided sources confirm the painting's location at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and its creation date of 1750, they do not contain specific accession numbers or a documented exhibition history for this piece.
Consequently, details regarding its inventory number or past public showings cannot be included based on the available information.
Overview
This oil on canvas depicts Joseph Reade, presented in a seated pose with a direct gaze toward the viewer. The artist rendered the sitter in period attire, emphasizing a realistic portrayal through careful attention to facial features and hands. This work is part of a collection focusing on American art, reflecting the portraiture conventions prevalent during its creation and offering insight into historical artistic practices.
Context
As an artwork housed within an American art collection, this portrait of Joseph Reade reflects the prevailing aesthetic and social conventions of its historical period. The sitter's period dress and formal presentation align with the expectations for depicting prominent individuals in American society during the time the painting was created, providing a window into the cultural and artistic traditions of the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Wollaston (fl. 1742 – 1775) was an English painter who specialised in portrait painting and was active mostly in British North America. He was one of a handful of painters to introduce English Rococo styles of…
