Artwork
Man with Vial
Man with Vial is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Erastus Salisbury Field. It dates from 1827 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Erastus Salisbury Field’s oil on canvas, dated around 1827, presents a solitary figure seated in a red armchair. The sitter looks directly at the viewer, his expression restrained, and holds a small glass vial in his right hand, suggesting a possible professional or scholarly association.
Subject & Meaning
The gentleman is dressed in a dark blue coat over a high‑collared white shirt, attire that conveys a formal, perhaps middle‑class status of the early nineteenth century. The presence of the vial, an object associated with medical or scientific practice, hints at the sitter’s occupation or personal interests, though no identifying attributes are provided.
Technique & Style
Field employs chiaroscuro to model the figure, using contrasts of light and shadow to give the face and hands a three‑dimensional presence against a muted background. The brushwork is relatively smooth, emphasizing the textures of fabric and the reflective surface of the vial, while the overall palette remains restrained, focusing attention on the central figure.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1827, the portrait is part of Field’s early oeuvre, a period when he produced numerous individual likenesses for regional patrons. The work’s ownership trail is not fully documented, but it has appeared in several regional collections and exhibitions that highlight New England portraiture of the early nineteenth century.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
