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, 2022: Although John I. H. Baur owned and annotated a copy of the catalogue of Johnson's 1907 Estate Sale, he did not include this work in his own 1940 catalogue listing; he must have obtained it after publication.
MacGibeny, 2021: Note that no signature is mentioned in the description of the painting in the catalogue of the 1907 sale of Johnson's estate, excerpted here. It is possible that the inscription was added later.
Eugene Benson, "'Dropping Off'—A Sketch by Eastman Johnson," Appleton's Journal, 1871: "But look with us, if you can, yet more at this remarkable sketch. We were told it should be called “Dropping Off.” Dropping off into the easy sleep of second childhood? or into the last long sleep that is next to each one of us? Dropping off! Poor old man, at the end of life, at the end of the seasons that come and go with the varied music, and perfume, and color, and splendor of life! At the end of sensation / the supreme fact of the supreme hour of life!"
"Height, 23 inches; width, 19 inches"
[Annotation: “80.00”]
- Subject matter: