Artwork
John G. Read
John G. Read is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Royall Brewster Smith. It dates from 1833 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. The oil on canvas painting, titled John G.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:center left: JOHN G. READ / BORN NOV'1.1799 / PAINTED OCT'1833; lower left on book: USEFUL KNOWLEDGE
About this work
If you're interested in exploring more works from the Romanticism movement, you can learn more about it next.
This portrait features a man with short, wavy brown hair and blue eyes, dressed in a black jacket with a high collar and a white shirt with a high neck and buttons. He is seated, with his left hand resting on a red object adorned with yellow and black accents.
The man's attire and hairstyle suggest a formal setting, possibly from the early 19th century. The background of the painting is a solid green color, which adds to the overall sense of formality.
If you're interested in exploring more works from the Romanticism movement, you can learn more about it next.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts John G. Read, an identified sitter, rendered in oil on canvas in 1833 by Royall Brewster Smith. It is classified as a portrait and is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
As a portrait, the work serves to record the sitter’s appearance and convey his social standing, a typical function of early‑19th‑century portraiture. The composition and formal attire reflect the conventions used to emphasize respectability and status.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1833, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 79.7 cm in height and 64.5 cm in width. Classified as a painting within the portrait genre, the piece demonstrates the standard material conventions for formal likenesses of the early nineteenth century.
History & Provenance
The portrait John G. Read was painted by Royall Brewster Smith in 1833, as indicated by the work's inception date. It entered the art market through the Old Print Shop in New York, where it remained until 1954 when it was purchased by collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. The Garbisches later donated the painting to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it has resided since 1978.
The portrait John G. Read by Royall Brewster Smith is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It entered the museum's holdings in 1978 as a gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Prior to this donation, the work was sold in 1954 by the Old Print Shop in New York to the Garbisches. The painting was originally recorded as being from New York.
Legacy
The portrait titled John G. Read, painted by Royall Brewster Smith in 1833, entered the National Gallery of Art in 1978 as a gift from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, having been sold in 1954 by the Old Print Shop in New York. Its inclusion in the museum’s collection has made it a touchstone for studies of early American portraiture, illustrating the high regard in which Smith’s work is held and reflecting the cultural significance attributed to the sitter’s likeness.
Overview
The oil on canvas painting, titled John G. Read, was created by Royall Brewster Smith in 1833. This formal portrait depicts a seated man, characterized by his early 19th-century attire and a composed demeanor. The work serves as a record of its subject, executed with the directness typical of portraiture from the period, offering a glimpse into the individual's appearance and presentation.
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