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Attributed to James Martin

Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1820

Description

Maker

  • Attributed to James Martin, 1778 - 1853, English

Title

Portrait of a Gentleman

Year

ca. 1820

Medium

Pastel on paper

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • pastel (crayon)

Supports

  • paper

Dimensions

54.5 x 42.6 cm (21 7/16 x 16 3/4 inches)

Type

  • Works on Paper,
  • Drawings and Watercolors

Credit

Georgianna Sayles Aldrich Fund

Object Number

2000.81

Projects & Publications

Publications

Manual / Issue 12

On Further Review
Read Online

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Making It In America

October 11, 2013 - February 9, 2014

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.

An American Idyll

April 6, 2007 - January 6, 2008

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Portrait of a Gentleman with the accession number of 2000.81. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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