Artwork
Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of a Lady is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist John Neagle. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work measures 76 cm in height by 63 cm in width, an upright format suited to a half- or three-quarter-length sitter.
Portrait of a Lady is executed in oil on canvas, a standard medium for John Neagle's portrait practice. The work measures 76 cm in height by 63 cm in width, an upright format suited to a half- or three-quarter-length sitter. No additional information regarding underdrawing, paint handling, layering technique, surface condition, or stylistic characterization is provided in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
John Neagle executed the oil-on-canvas portrait in 1825. The work's documented ownership began with C. K. Johnson of Greenwich, Connecticut. On May 1, 1923, Thomas B. Clarke of New York purchased the painting, retaining it until his death in 1931.
Following Clarke's estate settlement, the piece was sold on January 29, 1936, through the New York dealer M. Knoedler & Co. to The A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust in Pittsburgh. The trust subsequently gifted the artwork to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in 1947, where it remains part of the Andrew W. Mellon collection.
The painting Portrait of a Lady by John Neagle is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it is part of the Andrew W. Mellon collection. Its ownership history begins with C. K. Johnson of Greenwich, Connecticut, who sold it in 1923 to Thomas B. Clarke; Clarke’s estate later disposed of the work through M. Knoedler & Co. in 1936, after which it entered the Mellon Trust and was gifted to the National Gallery in 1947.
Overview
John Neagle's Portrait of a Lady, painted around 1828, is an oil on canvas depicting an unidentified woman. The composition emphasizes her presence through a direct gaze and detailed rendering of her features and attire, set within a restrained interior. This work exemplifies the portraiture common during the early 19th century, focusing on individual likeness and character.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a seated woman, dressed in contemporary attire including a hat, who engages the viewer with a direct gaze. Her posture is composed, positioned within a sparsely furnished room where a table is visible in the background. The artist prioritizes the sitter's facial expression and the textures of her clothing, making her the central focus of the composition and conveying a sense of her individual presence.
![Mrs. Pearson [possibly Sarah Thompson Pearson]](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/pieter-christoffel-wonder--mrs-pearson-possibly-sarah-thompson-pearson--0006ffde77661f8c-w320.webp)
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Neagle (November 4, 1796 – September 17, 1865) was a fashionable American painter, primarily of portraits, during the first half of the 19th century in Philadelphia.
- Mrs. Pearson [possibly Sarah Thompson Pearson]
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