<I>Portrait of John Westwood</I>
date: label: Date
content: ca. 1807-1808
name: label: Created by
content: Joshua Johnson, American, ca. 1763 - after 1832
label: Subject of
content: John Westwood, American
notes: label: Caption
content: In December 1798 Joshua Johnson placed an advertisement in the Baltimore Intelligencer: "As a self-taught genius, deriving from nature and industry his knowledge of the Art; and having experienced many insuperable obstacles in the pursuit of his studies, it is highly gratifying to him to make assurances of his ability to execute all commands with an effect, and in a style, which give satisfaction."
label: Caption
content: Well-known in the community, Johnson enjoyed a successful career as a painter, receiving most of his commissions from a wealthy white clientele, such as plantation owner John Westwood. The chest-length view, feigned oval enclosure, linear application of paint, and shallow depth defined a common style among itinerant painters of the time. In addition to this portrait, Johnson painted Westwood’s three children.
label: Description
content: An oil painting portrait of John Westwood, painted in conventional English portrait style of formal, bust-length pose and arranged backdrop. It depicts a half-length male figure wearing a brown coat with silver buttons and white waistcoat against a dark background. The figure is clean shaven with short brown hair, and is encircled by a faux oval frame. Painted as part of the composition, the oval frame is slightly lighter in color than the background. The painting is framed in a dark wood frame.
place: label: Place made
content: Baltimore, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: American South
label: Topic
content: Art
label: Topic
content: Free communities of color
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1783-1815
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Visual Arts
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2010.25abc
objectType: label: Type
content: oil paintings
label: Type
content: portraits
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: oil paint on canvas , wood
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (framed): 38 3/16 × 33 1/4 × 2 1/2 in. (97 × 84.4 × 6.4 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (unframed): 30 1/4 × 25 1/4 in. (76.8 × 64.1 cm)