Second Lieutenant Henry W. Hayden

American 19th Century

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a man from the waist up seated in a formal pose. He has a composed expression and gazes directly at the viewer. The man has dark, neatly styled hair and a beard with a mustache. He is dressed in a military uniform with prominent gold shoulder epaulettes and a row of buttons down the front. He is holding a sword, and in his other hand, rests a shako, a type of military hat, with crossed rifles insignia on the front. The portrait is encased in an ornate gold-colored frame with intricate designs around the border. The background is plain.