Portrait of a Man

William H. Johnson, Portrait of a Man, ca. 1935-1938, oil on burlap, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.814
Copied William H. Johnson, Portrait of a Man, ca. 1935-1938, oil on burlap, 28 1⁄8 x 23 in. (71.4 x 58.5 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.814

Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of a Man
Artist
Date
ca. 1935-1938
Location
Dimensions
28 1⁄8 x 23 in. (71.4 x 58.5 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the Harmon Foundation
Mediums
Mediums Description
oil on burlap
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait male — unidentified — elderly
Object Number
1967.59.814
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1967.59.814

Artwork Description

The moody colors and looping brushstrokes of thick paint link Portrait of a Man to the landscapes that William H. Johnson painted in Norway during a long trip through Scandinavia. With his jug ears and knobby red nose, this man is almost a caricature, but Johnson did not intend to satirize his subjects. He was determined to capture what he called the “essential characteristics” of his sitters, people whose faces and bodies had been shaped by the struggle to survive in a harsh environment. Here, the man’s white hair and shirtfront contrast with the darker hue of his vest and the Nordic, cobalt blue of his eyes.