Who painted Study for "Elkanah Watson"?

Study for "Elkanah Watson" was painted by John Singleton Copley in 1782.

Where can I see Study for "Elkanah Watson"?

Study for "Elkanah Watson" is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Study for "Elkanah Watson"?

Study for "Elkanah Watson" is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Study for "Elkanah Watson"

John Singleton Copley , 1782

Study for "Elkanah Watson" is a chalk drawing by the Romanticist artist John Singleton Copley. It dates from 1782 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

This drawing is a preparatory study for a larger portrait, created by John Singleton Copley in 1782 using black and white chalk on blue paper.

Subject & Meaning

The study depicts a man holding a sword, dressed in attire from an earlier period, likely Elkanah Watson, the subject of the larger work.

Technique & Style

Copley employed chiaroscuro, using black chalk for shadows and white chalk for highlights, to achieve a range of tones and textures on the blue laid paper.

History & Provenance

Copley, born in Boston in 1738, was a prominent portrait painter in colonial New England before moving to London in 1774, where he also produced history paintings.