Who painted Andrew W. Mellon?

Andrew W. Mellon was painted by Gari Melchers in 1930.

Where can I see Andrew W. Mellon?

Andrew W. Mellon is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Andrew W. Mellon?

Andrew W. Mellon is associated with Realism.

Andrew W. Mellon by Gari Melchers (1930) · Meaning & Museum

Inscription: Inscribed:upper left: Gari Melchers / Washington. 1930

About this work

Technique & Style

Executed in 1930 by Gari Melchers, this portrait of Andrew W.

Executed in 1930 by Gari Melchers, this portrait of Andrew W. Mellon is an oil painting on canvas. The work measures 140.3 cm in height and 104.5 cm in width. An associated oil sketch, also created by Melchers in Washington during the same year, measures 23 5/8 inches by 18 inches and bears the artist's signature and date in the upper left corner.

The primary canvas was likely gifted to Mellon's attorney after being exhibited in the early 1930s, while the smaller study was presented to the attorney by Mellon's daughter.

History & Provenance

Created in 1930 by Gari Melchers, the oil-on-canvas portrait depicts Andrew W. Mellon. The work was originally owned by the sitter in Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., before being gifted to his attorney, Donald D. Shepard. Mellon lent the painting to three exhibitions in the early 1930s, suggesting the transfer to Shepard occurred after 1934 but prior to Mellon's death in 1937.

Shepard retained ownership until 1953, when he bequeathed the portrait to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The artist also produced a signed and dated oil sketch of the same subject in 1930, which passed from Mellon to his daughter Ailsa Mellon Bruce and subsequently to Shepard.

The work is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it was gifted in 1953. Its accession number is not specified in the provided sources, but its provenance traces from Andrew W. Mellon to his attorney Donald D. Shepard and then to the National Gallery of Art. The painting was exhibited three times in the early 1930s while owned by Mellon, after which it passed to Shepard before the 1953 donation. It is cataloged as a 1930 oil on canvas painting measuring 140.3 cm x 104.5 cm.

Context

Gari Melchers painted Andrew W. Mellon in 1930, depicting the industrialist and philanthropist. The work entered the National Gallery of Art collection in 1953 through a gift from Andrew Mellon's estate, having previously been lent to exhibitions in the early 1930s and transferred to his attorney Donald D. Shepard before Mellon's death in 1937. An oil sketch related to the painting, measuring 23 5/8" x 18" and signed "Gari Melchers. / Washington.

1930," was given to Shepard by Mrs. Ailsa Mellon Bruce, who inherited it from her father. The painting measures 140.3 cm x 104.5 cm and is part of the National Gallery of Art's collection in Washington, D.C.

Overview

Gari Melchers executed this oil on canvas in 1930, portraying the financier Andrew W. Mellon. The composition centers an elderly gentleman in a dark suit, his left hand resting on a chair, set against a subdued brown backdrop. The work’s restrained palette and careful arrangement convey a formal, dignified atmosphere typical of early twentieth‑century portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The sitter, identified as Andrew W. Mellon, appears in a poised stance, his white moustache and blue tie providing modest contrast to the black attire. The gesture of the hand on the chair suggests both authority and contemplation, inviting viewers to consider his role in finance and philanthropy without overt symbolism.

Jacob Christiaan Koningsberger (1867-1951). Chairman of the People's Council (1918-19)

Artist & collection

Artist

Gari Melchers

Julius Garibaldi (Gari) Melchers (August 11, 1860 – November 30, 1932) was an American artist. He was one of the leading American proponents of naturalism. He won a 1932 Gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.