Artwork
Boy with Toy Horse and Wagon
Boy with Toy Horse and Wagon is an oil painting by the British Romanticist artist William Matthew Prior. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed in 1845, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support.
Executed in 1845, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 77 centimeters in height by 63.7 centimeters in width. As a piece of mid-19th-century American portraiture, the composition centers on a juvenile subject accompanied by a toy horse and wagon, reflecting the genre's focus on capturing youth and domestic props.
The available records confirm the medium and dimensions but do not provide specific details regarding the artist's brushwork, surface condition, or technical handling of the paint layers.
History & Provenance
William Matthew Prior painted Boy with Toy Horse and Wagon in 1845, employing oil on canvas in the portrait genre. The painting was recorded as originating in New York State before being acquired in 1951 by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who gifted it to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1953. No documentation indicates a specific commission for the piece. Its dimensions are 77 × 63.7 cm.
No specific exhibition history or inventory accession numbers are detailed in the available records.
Overview
William Matthew Prior, an American folk artist, created Boy with Toy Horse and Wagon around 1845. This oil on canvas painting presents a portrait of a young child. Prior was recognized for his depictions of families and children, and this work exemplifies his characteristic approach to capturing individual likenesses within a domestic context. The artwork is considered to align with aspects of British Romanticism.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a young child, depicted in a formal portrait style. The child is dressed in a black dotted dress, white trousers, and black shoes, holding a small whip in one hand while standing beside a toy horse and wagon. Despite the playful objects, the child's expression is notably serious. This juxtaposition, along with the period clothing, offers a glimpse into childhood representations of the mid-19th century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
William Matthew Prior (May 16, 1806 – January 21, 1873) was an American folk artist known for his portraits, particularly of families and children.
