Artwork
A Man Smoking
A Man Smoking is an oil painting by Andrew Geddes. It dates from 1823 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
A Man Smoking is an oil painting created by Andrew Geddes around 1823, currently part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a relaxed, armored man reclining in a chair, smoking a pipe with a sword nearby, accompanied by a standing attendant holding a tray with refreshments, conveying an atmosphere of leisure and camaraderie.
Technique & Style
While specific technical details are not highlighted, the use of oil paint allows for rich, detailed depiction of textures (armor, pipe, glassware) and subtle expressions, suggesting a realistic, potentially early 19th-century European artistic approach.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1823 by Andrew Geddes, the painting's history prior to its acquisition by the Victoria and Albert Museum is not detailed here.
Context
The scene's emphasis on relaxation and service may reflect or comment on the social leisure activities of the early 19th century, though the armored figure introduces a note of potential irony or narrative depth.
Legacy
The painting's impact or influence on subsequent art is not specified, though its preservation in a major museum suggests recognition of its historical or artistic value.
Artist & collection
Archibald Skirving (1749 - 1819)
George Sanders (1774 - 1846)
Summer
Portrait of Two Women (possibly Adela Geddes (1791-1881), the Artist's Wife, and a Friend)
Hannah Fry, Mrs Harris Prendergast (1814 - 1859)
Portrait of a Man
The Artist's Mother (Agnes Boyd, Mrs David Geddes, 1760 / 1761 - 1828)
Andrew Plimer (1763 - 1837)
