Portrait of a Man

British 19th Century

National Gallery of Art

The painting depicts the upper half of a man standing straight and facing us. He has pale skin, rosy cheeks, a long nose, strong brows, and sideburns that lead to his curly, gray-brown hair. He is wearing a black coat over a high-collared white shirt. In one hand he holds papers, while in the other hand he holds a pair of nearly-invisible spectacles against his torso. His right arm is bent and resting on a surface next to him on the left, and there is an inkwell with a quill and a paper on a lower desk or surface on the right. The background is dark brown with some visible brushstrokes.