Portrait of a Man

c. 1845

Augustus Washington

Associated Names
Augustus Washington

Artist, American, 1820/1821 - 1875

The image shows a portrait of a man's upper body, from the waist up. The man is seated and facing forward, with his right arm resting on a surface and his left hand visible at his lapel. He has strong facial features with pronounced cheekbones and a stern expression. He has neatly styled hair, parted slightly to the side. The man is wearing formal attire, including a dark jacket, waistcoat, white shirt, and a wide, dark bow tie. The background is plain and neutral. The photograph is enclosed in an ornate, rectangular frame with intricate gold detailing along the edges.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

More About this Artwork

Article:  Rare Early Photographs of African American Life

A large collection of personal photographs offers a glimpse of Black entrepreneurship and self-expression in the 19th and 20th centuries.


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Michael Lehr, New York; Ross Kelbaugh, Marriottsville, MD; NGA purchase, 2023.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

on brass mat, lower left embossed: A. WASHINGTON; lower right embossed: 136 MAIN ST / HARTFORD - CT.; by Ross Kelbaugh, top edge of case in black ink on applied sticker: AF014J


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