Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an unspecified painting by the British Romanticist artist Samuel John Stump. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
History & Provenance
The work has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it was included in the 1986 display "The American Wing: A Fifteen-Year Report.
Portrait of a Man was painted by Samuel John Stump in 1825, as indicated by the work’s date and the artist’s attribution. The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is catalogued as a portrait depicting an unidentified male sitter. No earlier owners or commission details are recorded in the available sources, so the known provenance begins with its creation and its present location at the Met.
The portrait is held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accessioned as 1975.1.130. It entered the collection in 1975 as a gift of Iola S. and Louis A. Coblentz. The work has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it was included in the 1986 display "The American Wing: A Fifteen-Year Report."
Overview
Samuel John Stump's Portrait of a Man, painted in 1825, exemplifies British Romanticism through its intimate scale and direct presentation. This small oval work depicts an unidentified male sitter, whose gaze meets the viewer with a serious demeanor. The painting is currently housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a facet of early 19th-century British portraiture.
Technique & Style
The painting presents its subject within a stark, dark background, which emphasizes the man's features and direct gaze. His attire, a dark coat over a high-collared white shirt, is rendered with precision, typical of Stump's background as a miniature painter. The oval format and subtle blurring at the edges contribute to an intimate, focused impression, aligning with the period's interest in individual character within British Romanticism.
Context
Samuel John Stump, an English artist active from the late 18th into the mid-19th century, was recognized for his skill in miniature portraiture. His training at the Royal Academy Schools provided a foundation for his detailed work, which often attracted clients from the theatrical world. This portrait, created in 1825, reflects the broader trends of British Romanticism while showcasing the artist's characteristic approach to depicting individual sitters.
Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel John Stump (c. 1779 – 1863) was an English painter, who was born at Corsham, Wiltshire, and baptised there on 2 September 1779, the youngest son of John and Betty Stump of Corsham, Wiltshire. He studied in the…
