Boy in Blue
c. 1820/1830
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 111.4 x 70.5 cm (43 7/8 x 27 3/4 in.) framed: 122.2 x 81.8 x 5.1 cm (48 1/8 x 32 3/16 x 2 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CAB
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch
Accession Number
1953.5.60
Art Historical Context
"Boy in Blue" is charming oil on canvas portrait from the early 19th century created by an anonymous American artist around 1820–1830. Measuring 111.4 x 70.5 cm, this painting captures a young boy dressed in a striking blue coat, rendered with the straightforward charm typical of American folk art. These works, often produced by itinerant painters, as treasured family keepsakes in a young nation where photography was not yet available. The painting exemplifies the naive style prevalent in early American portraiture, characterized by flat colors, direct gazes, and minimal backgrounds that emph...
About the Artist
American 19th Century
The artist cataloged as "American, 19th Century" represents a collective of unidentified painters active in the United States during the nineteenth century, with 380 known artworks preserved in this virtual museum's collection. These works span a diverse array of genres typical of the era, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and genre scenes, reflecting the burgeoning artistic output of ...