Original sentence: At the age of 43, the artist permanently settled himself in New York City, opening a studio as a figure painter.During his residence in Louisville, Wood painted The Contraband, Recruit and Veteran, suggested by the sight of a black man in light brown jeans, who had but one leg and was hobbling along on home-made crutches.This celebrated work commemorates the transition of the African American from slavery to freedom and is now the property of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.This was in 1866, eight years after the exhibition of his first work in the National Academy of Design, The Baltimore Newsvendor (1858)
Edited sentence: At the age of 43, after hard study, patient work, much travel and constant progress, the artist permanently settled himself in New York City, opening a studio as a figure painter.During his residence in Louisville, Wood painted The Contraband, Recruit and Veteran, suggested by the sight of a black man, in light brown jeans, who had but one leg and was hobbling along on home-made crutches.This justly celebrated work commemorates the transition of the African American from slavery to freedom and is now the property of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.This was in 1866, eight years subsequent to the exhibition of his first work in the National Academy of Design, The Baltimore Newsvendor (1858)