Catalogue Entry
In the mid-1870s, Johnson took up the subject of old men reading, sometimes seen outdoors but usually indoors. The large size of the books suggests that the men are reading the Bible. With their suggestion of time passing and the solace of faith, such works are a solemn contrast to the joie de vivre of works such as the Old Stage Coach, which depicts young children using the relics of the past as their playground. —PH
Hills opinion letter, 2014: "This oil painting shows a handsome older man with thinning hair seated at a table and concentrating on the pages of a large open book. His hands rest on the pages of the book, as if they were about to turn a page."
MacGibeny, 2021: The man resembles the farmer in Sunday Morning, a collaboration between Johnson and Worthington Whittredge.
Inscribed on verso, in pencil: P389/J
Inscribed directly on verso, in black crayon: 469/11
Label on verso of frame: D. J. Healy Shops [Although the label does not provide a location, D. J. Healy was a retailer in Detroit, Michigan]
- Subject matter: