Artwork
Mark Twain
Mark Twain is a print by Samuel Johnson Woolf. It dates from 1920 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1920.11
- Credit line
- Gift of the artist and Arthur H. Hahlo and Company
About this work
Overview
Samuel Johnson Woolf’s charcoal drawing, dated around 1920, is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection. The work presents a solitary figure in a quiet interior, rendered in monochrome with a focus on subtle tonal contrasts.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a seated man reclined on a bed, dressed in a white shirt, his head turned to the right and his left arm resting on his lap. A faint nightstand silhouette appears behind him, suggesting a private, perhaps contemplative moment.
Technique & Style
Woolf employs charcoal to model the figure, using layered strokes to achieve depth and texture. The dark background recedes, allowing the illuminated features of the sitter’s face and clothing to emerge with a realistic yet restrained quality.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1920, the drawing entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings at an unspecified date. It remains a representative example of Woolf’s early twentieth‑century printmaking practice.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel Johnson Woolf (1880–1948) was an American artist, born in New York City.
