James Martin

While the identity of this gentleman is unknown, the work’s history and date suggest he may have resided in New York, where African Americans and men of French-Haitian descent were established merchants, theater owners, and clergy in the early 19th century. Set against a background of breaking light, the subject is dressed in a double-breasted blue coat with gleaming gold buttons, the conventional attire in gentlemen’s portraits of this period. His distinguished appearance is individualized by the delicate tones of his complexion and silver hair, and by the exceptional attention given to his gentle features and gaze.