Henry Clay

Charles Bird King

National Gallery of Art

This painting shows a man seated behind a table, his torso facing us and his head slightly turned to the right. He has a fair complexion, a strong brow, and pink lips in a slight smile. His short brown hair falls across his forehead in loose waves. He is dressed in a black coat with gold buttons over a white vest and a high-necked white cravat. His right hand is holding a long piece of paper with lines of writing on it. The end of the paper rests on the table in front of him. His left hand is also on the table, pointing to the paper. The table is covered with red cloth, and on it is a silver inkwell and a feather quill. The background is in shades of brown, with a hint of red near the upper left corner, perhaps suggesting draped fabric.