Artwork
Old '76 and Young '48
Old '76 and Young '48 is an oil painting by the Realist artist Richard Caton Woodville, Sr.. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Walters Art Museum. Completed in 1849, *Old ‘76 and Young ‘48* is an oil painting by American artist Richard Caton Woodville Sr.
About this work
Overview
Completed in 1849, *Old ‘76 and Young ‘48* is an oil painting by American artist Richard Caton Woodville Sr. The work presents a domestic interior where an elderly veteran of the Revolutionary War and a youthful officer of the Mexican‑American War stand together, surrounded by family members and a dog, engaged in quiet conversation.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition of the two soldiers—one clad in 18th‑century civilian dress, the other in mid‑19th‑century uniform—highlights the continuity of American military service across generations. Their dialogue, set against a homely backdrop, suggests a sharing of personal histories, with the older figure recalling past battles while the younger represents the nation’s newer conflicts.
Technique & Style
Executed in a realist manner, the painting employs careful modeling of light on textures such as the polished wood table, the sheen of the younger man’s coat, and the soft folds of the woman’s shawl. Woodville’s training in Düsseldorf is evident in the precise draftsmanship and balanced composition that foregrounds narrative detail.
History & Provenance
Woodville, a Baltimore native who spent most of his brief career in Europe, produced fewer than twenty works before his death at thirty in London. During his lifetime the painting was shown in exhibitions and reproduced in prints, helping to disseminate his work beyond the limited number of originals he created.
Artist & collection
Artist
Richard Caton Woodville (30 April 1825 – 13 August 1855) was an American artist from Baltimore who spent his professional career in Europe, after studying in Düsseldorf under the direction of Karl Ferdinand Sohn.
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