Joseph Jefferson
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Accession Number
NPG.93.87
Tags
About this artwork
(Arthur S. Cohen, Potomac, Md.); purchased 1993 NPG
Art Historical Context
Step into the world of 19th-century theater with *Joseph Jefferson*, a compelling 1871 portrait by Henry H. Cross (1837–1918). This oil painting captures the celebrated stage actor Joseph Jefferson—depicted as a bearded man with a rifle, set against a evocative landscape—highlighting his rugged charisma and multifaceted persona as both performer and artist. Jefferson rose to fame in the post-Civil War era, enchanting audiences with his masterful portrayals, most notably as Rip Van Winkle., a skilled portraitist, employs realistic techniques to blend portraiture with landscape elements, creati...