Artwork
Mr. Motte
Mr. Motte is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jeremiah Theus. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
If you're interested in learning more about this style of painting, you might want to explore the Romanticism movement.
This portrait shows a man in a brown jacket with a blue vest underneath, standing in front of a dark green background. He has dark hair and is looking directly at the viewer.
The man's attire and the style of the painting suggest it is from the 18th century. The artist has used a range of colors to create a sense of depth and dimension in the painting.
If you're interested in learning more about this style of painting, you might want to explore the Romanticism movement.
Overview
Jeremiah Theus’s oil on canvas portrait, titled *Mr. Motte*, dates to around 1760. The work presents a single male sitter positioned before a dark green backdrop, his gaze directed straight at the viewer.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is dressed in a brown outer jacket over a blue vest, his dark hair styled in the manner typical of mid‑eighteenth‑century colonial attire. The direct eye contact suggests a desire to convey the sitter’s status and personal presence.
Technique & Style
Theus employs a restrained palette, juxtaposing warm browns with cooler blues to model the clothing and flesh. Subtle gradations of tone create a sense of three‑dimensionality, while the muted background serves to focus attention on the sitter’s features.
Context
Created in the American colonial period, the portrait reflects the conventions of portraiture that were common among prosperous settlers. The work aligns with the broader European tradition of realistic, individually focused portraiture that preceded the later Romantic movement.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jeremiah Theus (né Theüs; April 5, 1716 – May 17, 1774) was a Swiss-born American painter, primarily of portraits.
