Artwork
Tench Francis
Tench Francis is an oil painting by the Baroque artist Robert Feke. It dates from 1746 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
A man in a dark coat and white cravat looks straight out, his powdered hair tied back, one hand resting on a red-clothed table. This is Tench Francis, a Philadelphia lawyer Robert Feke painted in 1746. The calm, confident gaze and loose brushwork were unusual for the time, when portraits tended toward stiff formality.
Subject & Meaning
The depiction emphasizes the subject's role as a respectable patriarch, aligning with contemporary expectations of portraiture to convey status and lineage.
The painting portrays Tench Francis Sr., an eighteenth-century American merchant, as a dignified sitter in a conventional portrait format. Executed in oil on canvas in 1746 by Robert Feke, the work measures roughly 124.5 cm by 99.1 cm. By rendering Francis in a composed pose and refined attire, the image functions as a visual record of his social standing and familial prominence within colonial society. The depiction emphasizes the subject's role as a respectable patriarch, aligning with contemporary expectations of portraiture to convey status and lineage.
Technique & Style
Robert Feke executed the 1746 portrait of Tench Francis, Sr., using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 124.5 cm in height and 99.1 cm in width. Stylistically, the painting functions as a formal portrait, capturing the sitter as a man within the tradition of colonial American art.
The medium of oil on canvas allows for the detailed rendering characteristic of Feke's approach during this period. The piece is classified within the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Tench Francis, Sr., was created by Robert Feke in 1746 as an oil painting on canvas, measuring 124.5 cm in height and 99.1 cm in width. The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is classified within the American Wing. Specific details regarding the original commission, the identity of the patron, or the chain of ownership prior to its arrival at the museum are not documented in the available records. No specific accession number, exhibition history, or loan records are detailed in the current sources.
Overview
Robert Feke's 1746 oil on canvas portrait depicts Tench Francis, Sr., a prominent Philadelphia lawyer. This work exemplifies Feke's contribution to mid-18th-century American art, where he was recognized for advancing the quality of Colonial painting. The artwork is part of the American Wing collection, showcasing a significant example of portraiture from the period.
Context
Robert Feke, born around 1705 in Oyster Bay, New York, was a notable figure in American portraiture during the mid-18th century. His surviving body of work, comprising approximately sixty paintings, with twelve specifically signed and dated, demonstrates his consistent output and influence. Tench Francis stands as a key example within this oeuvre, illustrating his impact on the developing artistic landscape of the colonies.
Artist & collection
Artist
Robert Feke (c. 1705 – c. 1752) was an American portrait painter born in Oyster Bay, New York. According to art historian Richard Saunders, "Feke's impact on the development of Colonial painting was substantial, and his…
