Artwork
Gentleman of the Hale Family
Gentleman of the Hale Family is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist William Jennys. It dates from 1807 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a portrait, it functions to record the sitter's appearance and to convey his status within early-American society.
The work is a 1807 oil-on-canvas portrait that shows a gentleman identified as a member of the Hale family. As a portrait, it functions to record the sitter's appearance and to convey his status within early-American society. The painting is catalogued in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is listed under the genre of portrait and described simply as a depiction of a man.
Its creation by William Jennys places it in the early period of American portraiture, when such images served both as personal likenesses and as visual statements of social identity.
Technique & Style
Created in 1807 by William Jennys, this portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures approximately 76.2 centimeters in height and 63.2 centimeters in width. As a formal likeness of a male subject, the piece adheres to the conventions of early nineteenth-century American portraiture.
The application of oil medium on woven fabric allows for the detailed rendering of the sitter's features and attire, characteristic of Jennys's approach to the genre during this period. The physical dimensions suggest a bust-length or three-quarter length composition, focusing attention on the individual's presence.
History & Provenance
Gentleman of the Hale Family is an oil on canvas portrait painted in 1807 by American artist William Jennys. The work measures 76.2 cm by 63.2 cm and portrays a gentleman of the Hale family. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been part of The American Wing since its acquisition. No further ownership details or commissioning information are provided in the available sources.
Overview
William Jennys's Gentleman of the Hale Family, painted around 1807, is an oil on canvas portrait reflecting the artist's early style. This work, part of The American Wing, captures an individual from a New England family with directness and simplicity, characteristic of early American portraiture. The sitter's straightforward gaze and unadorned presentation offer a quiet record of an individual from the period.
Context
William Jennys, the son of fellow itinerant portraitist Richard Jennys, traveled throughout New England to secure commissions. He primarily worked in rural areas and smaller towns, catering to families like the Hales. This practice allowed him to create a body of work that collectively documents the appearance of numerous individuals across the region, contributing to the visual history of early American society.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Jennys (1774–1859), also known as J. William Jennys, was an American primitive portrait painter who was active from about 1790 to 1810. He traveled throughout New England seeking commissions in rural areas and…
