Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an oil painting by the British Romanticist artist William Beechey. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Stylistically, the work aligns with British portraiture of the period, characterized by naturalistic representation and understated elegance.
The portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support, measuring approximately 75.2 cm in height and 63.0 cm in width. The handling reflects the refined brushwork typical of William Beechey’s portrait practice in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, emphasizing smooth transitions and subtle modeling of the sitter’s facial features. The composition is restrained, focusing on the subject’s head and shoulders against a neutral background, a format Beechey frequently employed for single-figure portraits. Stylistically, the work aligns with British portraiture of the period, characterized by naturalistic representation and understated elegance.
History & Provenance
The oil-on-canvas portrait titled Portrait of a Man was created by the British artist William Beechey in 1800. The work depicts a male subject and is classified as a portrait painting. While the specific details regarding the original commission or the initial patron are not recorded in the available sources, the work's creation is firmly dated to the year 1800.
Following its creation, the painting entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is currently housed. The museum accession number associated with this piece is 1978.75. The artwork measures 75.2 cm in height and 63.0 cm in width.
Its provenance chain from the time of its execution in 1800 until its acquisition by the Cleveland Museum of Art is not detailed in the provided records, though the current institutional ownership is well-documented.
Context
William Beechey (1753–1839), a prominent British portraitist of the late Georgian period, created this oil on canvas portrait in 1800. The work, measuring 75.2 × 63.0 cm, depicts a man and is classified as a portrait, reflecting the stylistic conventions of early‑19th‑century British portraiture. It is held in the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is documented as part of the museum’s collection of British paintings.
The painting’s provenance and dimensions are recorded in the museum’s catalogue, underscoring its significance within Beechey’s oeuvre and the broader study of portrait art of the era.
Overview
Sir William Beechey completed Portrait of a Man in 1800, employing oil paint to render the likeness of an unidentified individual. This work exemplifies the British Romanticism movement, a period when Beechey was a prominent portraitist. The painting is part of the collection at The Cleveland Museum of Art, representing a key moment in late 18th and early 19th-century British art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Sir William Beechey (12 December 1753 – 28 January 1839) was a British portraitist during the golden age of British painting.
