Artwork
Robert G. L. De Peyster
Robert G. L. De Peyster is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Samuel Lovett Waldo. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This oil painting, titled Robert G.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right on letter: WALDO New York July 1828 / Robt. G. L. Depeyster
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is classified as a portrait, though some metadata also associates it with landscape painting.
Samuel Lovett Waldo executed the 1828 portrait of Robert G. L. De Peyster using oil paint applied to a wooden support. While one record specifies the medium as oil on wood, another source describes the material as oil paint on canvas, indicating a potential discrepancy in the documented support. The work is classified as a portrait, though some metadata also associates it with landscape painting.
The painting measures 84 units in height and 64 units in width. No specific details regarding the painting's handling, current condition, or formal stylistic characteristics beyond its genre classification are provided in the available records.
History & Provenance
The portrait Robert G. L. De Peyster was painted by Samuel Lovett Waldo in 1828 (oil on wood). It entered the market through Mrs. V. H. Fields in New York, then Ehrich Galleries, and was bought on 2 February 1924 by Thomas B. Clarke; his estate later sold it via M. Knoedler & Co. to the A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust in 1936, and the Trust gifted the work to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1942, where it remains in the Andrew W. Mellon collection.
The portrait of Robert G. L. De Peyster by Samuel Lovett Waldo is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., specifically within the Andrew W. Mellon collection. Its provenance traces from Mrs. V. H. Fields of New York to the Ehrich Galleries, followed by its purchase on February 2, 1924, by Thomas B. Clarke. Upon Clarke's death, the work was sold from his estate on January 29, 1936, through M. Knoedler & Co. to The A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust in Pittsburgh.
It was subsequently gifted to the National Gallery of Art in 1942. While the source material details this acquisition history, it does not provide a specific inventory or accession number for the piece, nor does it list any exhibition history.
Overview
This oil painting, titled Robert G. L. De Peyster, was created by Samuel Lovett Waldo in 1828. The artwork is a portrait rendered in oil on a wood panel, depicting a formally dressed male sitter. It exemplifies the portraiture practices of the early 19th century, capturing the likeness and social standing of an individual through a direct and composed presentation.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents Robert G. L. De Peyster seated, his posture composed. He wears a dark jacket adorned with gold buttons, a yellow vest, and a crisp white cravat, indicating a level of social prominence. His dark hair frames a serious expression, and he holds a piece of paper, possibly suggesting his occupation or intellectual pursuits. The formal attire and controlled demeanor convey a sense of gravitas and status.
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