Caliban

John Hamilton Mortimer

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts a portrait of a person's upper body within an oval frame. The individual is shown with their head tilted slightly upward and to the side, with a muscular arm and elongated fingers resting on a branch. The facial features are exaggerated, with a prominent brow, wide nose, and full lips, and the hair is wild. The person's clothing is not detailed, but their skin appears textured. There are no visible jewelry or objects. The background is lightly textured, enclosed in a rectangular frame with a title "CALIBAN" at the top and a script below. The drawing is set against an off-white backdrop with a narrow border around the image.