Sportsman with Dog

DateProbably 1835-1840

MediumOil on canvas

DimensionsUnframed: 72 x 47 1/2in. (182.9 x 120.7cm) and Framed: 80 1/8 x 56 3/8in.

Credit LineGift of Abby Aldrich Rockefeller

Object number1938.100.1

DescriptionFull length oil portrait of man seated in interior setting. Man seated on a cane bottomed curly maple side chair slightly sideways to picture frame, facing to his right but looking towards viewer. Chair is on a patterned rug in geometric designs of red or green on beige. In front of man is seated or lying down a brown on white spotted pointer dog, his body facing to the left of the picture frame but he is looking back over shoulder to the right. Man wears black coat with high lapels and long tightly fitting sleeves which are slightly wider at the wrists and slit to reveal white shirt sleeves. The coat has black buttons down both sides and is open to reveal a buttoned yellow vest, and a white shirt front. He wears a black neckcloth and high white shirt points. He wears a square black mourning pin set in gold with an urn and a weeping willow on it. His hair is short and brown and parted on the side, with long sideburns which appear to be growing in. He wears black pants and black leather shoes with his legs crossed. His lower foot does not appear to be touching the ground at all. He rests his left hand in his lap and his right on a book (yellow) on a straight legged table covered with a red table cover with yellow border. Two other books rest on the table. The wall behind him is painted brown, and a long rifle rests on the floor behind his chair. Hanging to the left of the sitter is a hunting print of a brown and white pointer dog in a marsh similar to the dog at his feet. It is framed in a wooden frame, similar to the reproduction frame on the picture (and the basis for it). It is suspended from two screw-eyes fastened to the top of the frame. Hanging above the sitter upside down is another long rifle hanging from two leather straps. The strap on the but end of the rifle has a buckle. Also hanging near the but end is a powder flask and a shot flask.
Label TextThe interests of this portrait subject are clearly conveyed by the dog in the foreground the guns, powder flask, and belt shown behind the sitter, and the painting of a dog on point on the wall in the background.
ProvenanceLaurence B Halleran, Flushing, NY; Joseph Oberwalder, New York, NY; and purchased by Mrs. Rockefeller from J. A. Lloyd Hyde, New York, NY in 1937. Given to C. W. by Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr.