Charcoal Zealot

Portrait of a bearded man / charcoal on paper / c. 1900

Antique original charcoal portrait of a fiery old man, c. early 20th century. Exquisitely rendered, capturing this striking character’s piercing gaze and fervent countenance, qualities heightened by his unkempt beard and uncut shoulder-length hair. Religious fanatic? Radical intellectual? The intensity of the man’s visage shows the unmistakable, unrelenting passion of the zealot, recalling portraits such as that of abolitionist John Brown.

Unsigned, the portrait was clearly drawn by a masterful hand and evokes the gestural styles of fin de siècle artists such as John Singer Sargent and William Merritt Chase. Certain qualities about his face and the unambiguous rendering of his heroic, forceful character, might lead one to see hints of N.C. Wyeth in him as well. Regardless, the work stands apart as an arresting and evocative portrait, and its power seems magnified for its anonymous subject and creator.

Condition

Excellent antique condition. Professionally and archivally framed in an antique frame.

Measurements

26 inches tall
20.5 inches wide

Shipping

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