Artwork
The Reverend John Brodhead Romeyn
The Reverend John Brodhead Romeyn is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Samuel Lovett Waldo. It dates from 1818 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 29.148.1
- Credit line
- Bequest of Elizabeth H. J. Cowdrey, 1929
About this work
Technique & Style
The work adheres to early nineteenth-century American portrait conventions, prioritizing clarity and verisimilitude over stylistic experimentation.
Executed in 1818 by Samuel Lovett Waldo, the portrait of The Reverend John Brodhead Romeyn is an oil painting on canvas measuring 76.8 cm in height and 64.1 cm in width. The handling emphasizes naturalistic detail, rendering the subject's facial features and attire with careful observation and subtle modeling of light and shadow. The composition is framed within a conventional three-quarter pose, directing attention to the sitter's expression and gesture.
The color palette is restrained, relying on earth tones and subdued contrasts to convey the subject's dignified presence. The work adheres to early nineteenth-century American portrait conventions, prioritizing clarity and verisimilitude over stylistic experimentation.
History & Provenance
The portrait of the Reverend John Brodhead Romeyn was created in 1818 by the American artist Samuel Lovett Waldo, an active portraitist in New York during the early nineteenth century. Executed in oil on canvas, the work measures approximately 76.8 cm in height and 64.1 cm in width. The specific commission details and the original patron's identity are not recorded in the available documentation.
The painting eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is housed within the American Wing. The available sources do not specify an accession number for the piece, nor do they record any exhibition history.
Overview
Samuel Lovett Waldo's portrait of The Reverend John Brodhead Romeyn, created around 1818, captures its subject in oil on canvas. The painting depicts a seated man, dressed in a dark coat, with one hand resting on a book. This work is particularly noteworthy for its collaborative execution, a distinctive feature of its production.
Subject & Meaning
The Reverend John Brodhead Romeyn is depicted seated in a prominent red chair, clad in a black coat. His hand rests gently on a book, a subtle visual element that signifies his role as a minister. This detail serves as a conventional iconographic clue, indicating the sitter's profession and intellectual pursuits.
Artist & collection
