Museum number
A376
Object
Framed oil painting: John Sargent the Elder (c. 1690 - 1760) by Allan Ramsay (1713-1784), oil on canvas 1753
Description
In this portrait Ramsay has broken away from traditional oval framing device seen in the portraits of Sargent's son and daughter-in-law (A377 and A378) and created a more spacious composition. Although compositionally mroe ambitious, inessential detail remains a minimum. The polished surface of the table and sheen of the upholstered chair add richness without detracting from the powerful characterization of the sitter's head. The pose is one of relaxed confidence, reinforcing a look of shrewd appraisal.
Materials
Oil
On display?
Yes

Further description

Simple name
Painting
Dimensions
framed: 151cm (h) x 128cm (w)
regular: 99.06cm (h) x 124.46cm (w)
John Sargent the Elder (about 1690-1760) Allan Ramsay (1713-1784) Oil on canvas, 1753 Signed: A Ramsay 1753 John Sargent was a grocer from Plymouth who became a Naval accountant and did much to develop trading links with North America. Ramsay shows him as a middle-class businessman in a sober grey coat. He wears no lace, metal buttons or luxurious dyed silks; only the polished surface of the table and the crimson upholstered chair add richness to the composition. The portrait is dominated by the powerful characterization of this shrewd and confident sitter. A376 Bequest of Sir Orme Sargent, 1962

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