John Adams
Medium
Pastel on gray (now oxidized) laid paper
Dimensions
9 1/2 x 7 7/16 in. (24.1 x 18.9 cm)
Classification
Drawing
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Marguerite H. Rohlfs, 1995
Accession Number
1995.379.1 recto
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate pastel portrait of John Adams the second President of the United States, the Founding Father's stern gaze and dignified presence. Created by James Sharples an English-born artist who emigrated to America around 1794, the work exemplifies the itinerant portrait tradition of the early Republic. Sharples and his family traveled widely, producing affordable likenesses of prominent figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, making fine art accessible beyond elite circles. Executed in pastel on gray laid paper—now subtly oxidized for a softened, atmospheric tone—the small-sc...
About the Artist
James Sharples · 1751–1811
Comment on works: Portraits