Catalogue Entry
When Johnson returned to the United States, he not only painted genre paintings but he also continued to paint portraits, which gave him a steady income. After 1880 Johnson turned to portraiture almost exclusively. During the 1880s and 1890s he painted businessmen, lawyers, university presidents, and three U.S. presidents from life. At times he also painted their wives and children.
He was also commissioned to paint posthumous portraits, often from photographs. These portraits by and large do not have the sparkle and active brushwork of those done from life. It seems that the demand for portraits of business and civic leaders (and members of exclusive men’s clubs) was so high that portrait painters would often make copies of each other’s paintings to satisfy the market for such images. In many instances, it has been difficult to render opinions for such paintings. —PH
MacGibeny, 2021: The invoice handwritten by Johnson to M. E. Ingalls, who commissioned the portrait, shows the price of $1,373.00—$1,300 for the portrait and $73 for the frame.
Paper sticker on verso, on frame, upper left: SEC / 5 / ATTIC
Label on verso, on frame, upper right: Cincinnati Art Museum / Artist: Eastman Johnson / Title: PORTRAIT OF CHARLES W. WEST / Medium: oil/canvas Acc. No. 1882.125 / Credit Line: Gift of M. E. Ingalls
Stamp on verso, on stretcher, upper left: 40
Stamp on verso, on stretcher, upper right: 50
Label on verso, on stretcher, center left: CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM / Artist Eastman Johnson / Subject Por. of Chas. W. West / Donor M. E. Ingalls / Number 1882.125
Charles W. West (1810–1887). Co-founder of Cincinnati Art Museum who made his fortune in the flour industry.
- Portrait pose: