Portrait of Two Gentlemen

Frank Short, after Sir Joshua Reynolds

National Gallery of Art

The image shows an upper-body portrait of two men seated closely together. The man on the left is leaned against the back of a chair, with a prominent nose, a slightly upward-curving mouth, and short, wavy hair. He wears a dark coat with a light ruffled collar and his right hand is rested near his chest. The man on the right is turned slightly towards his companion, holding a rectangular object that resembles a framed picture or a book. He has curly hair, is looking downward, and wears a light, open-collared shirt under a darker coat. In front of him are rolled-up papers. The background is plain, emphasizing the figures in the foreground.