Artwork
John Sudam
John Sudam is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist John Vanderlyn. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting's meaning is tied to its function as a record of familial lineage and status rather than allegorical or narrative content.
The portrait depicts John Sudam, shown as a young man in formal attire against a muted background. Rendered as an oil on canvas painting in 1830, the work presents a conventional image of youthful refinement typical of early nineteenth-century American portraiture. Its iconography relies on standard portrait conventions rather than personalized symbolism, reflecting the sitter's social standing.
The painting's meaning is tied to its function as a record of familial lineage and status rather than allegorical or narrative content.
Technique & Style
John Sudam is an oil painting executed on canvas by John Vanderlyn in 1830. According to the National Gallery of Art's catalogue record, the work is classified as oil on canvas, a medium and support consistent with Vanderlyn's portrait practice of the period. Wikidata records the physical dimensions as 76.2 by 63.2 centimeters.
No condition report, specific handling notes, or detailed stylistic analysis are provided in the available sources.
History & Provenance
John Vanderlyn executed this oil on canvas portrait in 1830. The work remained within the sitter's family until it was held by Mary H.S. Ingraham, the subject's granddaughter. On April 5, 1913, Thomas B. Clarke of New York purchased the painting from Ingraham.
Following Clarke's death, the artwork was sold on January 29, 1936, as part of the Clarke collection dispersal. The transaction was facilitated by M. Knoedler & Co. of New York, with the piece acquired by The A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust in Pittsburgh. In 1947, the Trust donated the portrait to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it entered the Andrew W. Mellon collection.
The painting was created in 1830 and measures 76.2 cm by 63.2 cm. The provided sources do not list any specific exhibition history for this work.
Overview
John Sudam is an oil on canvas portrait painted by American artist John Vanderlyn in 1830. The work presents a solitary male figure against a dark backdrop, emphasizing the sitter’s facial features and attire through careful handling of light and shadow.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
