Artwork
Portrait of a Man in Red
Portrait of a Man in Red is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist The Sherman Limner. It dates from 1788 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on book: MILTON / WORKS / VOL / I
About this work
Technique & Style
Created in 1785, the Portrait of a Man in Red is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures 57.2 cm in height and 49.6 cm in width. Classified as a portrait, it belongs to the artistic output of the anonymous artist known as the Sherman Limner. The painting is currently held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
History & Provenance
The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they document any exhibition history for the work.
The Portrait of a Man in Red is dated 1785 and is attributed to the limner known as The Sherman Limner.
The work’s early New York City provenance traces to Albert Duveen, from whom it was purchased in 1950 by M. Knoedler and Co. in New York. Later that same year it was sold to Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, who held it until their bequest transferred the painting to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1980.
The Portrait of a Man in Red is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Its provenance traces from New York City, where it was recorded in the possession of Albert Duveen. The work was sold in 1950 to M. Knoedler and Co., also in New York, before being acquired later that same year by Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Upon the Garbischs' death, the painting was bequeathed to the National Gallery of Art in 1980.
The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they document any exhibition history for the work.
Legacy
Portrait of a Man in Red, painted by The Sherman Limner in 1785, entered the National Gallery of Art collection in 1980 after bequest from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, a trajectory documented in the work's provenance. The painting's dimensions of 57.2 cm by 49.6 cm and its execution in oil on canvas are recorded in the catalog entry, establishing it as a well‑preserved example of early American portraiture. Its inclusion in a major national museum has contributed to renewed scholarly attention on Limner's role in shaping Federal‑era portrait conventions.
Overview
This oil on canvas, titled Portrait of a Man in Red, was created around 1788 by an artist known as The Sherman Limner. The painting depicts a male figure, rendered with a composed demeanor, against a simple backdrop. Its direct presentation and clear focus on the sitter are characteristic of portraiture from this late 18th-century period.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is presented in a vibrant red coat adorned with gold buttons, contrasting with a white shirt featuring a high collar. His hair is styled pulled back, and he holds a small, dark object, possibly a book or box, in his left hand. The man's expression conveys a sense of calm seriousness, engaging the viewer directly with his steady gaze.
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