William Thornton

Gilbert Stuart

National Gallery of Art

This painting is a portrait of a seated man. His body is facing the right with his head turned to us, a neutral expression on his face. The man has pale skin, rosy cheeks, bright blue eyes, thin lips, and gray hair that curls around his ears. He is dressed formally in a dark red coat with gold buttons and a white cravat at his neck, sitting in a red upholstered chair, holding a book in his right hand. The background consists of red drapery on one side and blue and yellow hues on the other, suggesting a cloudy sky.