Description
Samuel Verplanck turns slightly to the right in a composed half-length portrait. A brown coat and white collar surround his face, while one hand rests at the waistcoat against the dark background. John Singleton Copley allows the contrast between the illuminated sitter and the surrounding shadow to establish the picture’s depth, giving the face and the quieter gesture separate points of attention.
Painted in 1771 in oil on canvas, the work belongs to Copley’s portraits of the Verplanck family. Its restrained setting makes the sitter’s bearing and clothing especially important. The broad area of the coat gives weight to the figure, while the lighter collar brings the eye back toward the head; the hand then leads attention downward, completing a measured arrangement without the need for an elaborate narrative setting.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the John Singleton Copley collection.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.