Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat
John Russell·1767
Historical Context
John Russell painted Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat in 1767, during his early career in London. Russell was primarily known as a pastel portraitist—he published a major technical treatise on the medium and became Crayon Painter to George III—but this oil portrait demonstrates his ability in the traditional medium as well. The tricorn hat was the standard fashionable headgear for European men throughout the mid-18th century, and its inclusion in a portrait can be a signal of informal, somewhat military or outdoor character as opposed to the bareheaded dignity of formal court portraiture. By 1767 Russell was beginning to establish his reputation, and this work shows a young painter working competently within the conventions of British portraiture while developing his distinctive approach to characterization.
Technical Analysis
Russell's oil portrait technique is carefully handled, with particular attention to the textures of the heavy coat and hat against the illuminated face. The sitter's gaze is direct and individualized, reflecting Russell's sustained interest in character capture that would define his pastel work. The color is warm and relatively sober—dark costume, warm flesh, neutral background.
Provenance
Possibly Pratt, Guildford [if this portrait is the one recorded in the Thorburn or Thurburn collection by George C. Williamson, John Russell, R.A. (London, 1894), pp. 166-67]; Probably Col. Thurburn, Kirkfell, Upper Norwood, Surrey by 1894 [according to Williamson 1894, cited above, who described a portrait in the collection of Col. Thorburn [sic] showing “An old Gentleman in claret and gold coat, and a three-cornered hat, unknown. 30 x 25 [inches]. Oil. 1767”]. Sold Christie’s, London, May 12, 1919, no. 27, bought jointly by Knoedler and Colnaghi and Obach [letter of September 6, 1994 from Melissa De Medeiros, librarian at Knoedler in curatorial file]; sold by them to Sir Samuel Waring, London, October 1920 [letter cited above]. Sold Christie’s, London, December 10, 1971, no. 133 to Hutchinson for 200 gns. [annotated sale catalogue Ryerson Library, Art Institute of Chicago; in this and subsequent sales the date is erroneously given as 1787]. Sold Sotheby’s, London, December 13, 1972, no. 125, to Loren for £180 [annotated sale catalogue Ryerson Library, Art Institute of Chicago]. Sold Philips, London, March 12, 1973, no. 34 to John Estabrook [see John Estabrook’s notes in curatorial file, indicating that he was also an unsuccessful bidder for the picture at the 1971 auction]; John Estabrook, Chicago, from 1973 (died 1984); his widow Dorothy Estabrook (died 1986); bequeathed to the Art Institute, 1987.
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