Two Profiles, Possibly of John Adams

About this artwork

This double portrait exemplifies the profile portrait tradition that flourished in late 18th and early 19th-century America, when such images offered affordable alternatives to full-face oil portraits. British-born artist James Sharples specialized in pastel profile portraits, creating a significant body of work documenting American political and social elites during the Federal period. Executed in pastel on gray laid paper, this work may depict John Adams, second President of the United States,...

Art Historical Context

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, profile portraits like *Two Profiles, Possibly of Adams* offered an elegant, affordable alternative to grand oil paintings, capturing the silhouettes of America's emerging elite. British-born artist Jamesples, who arrived in the United States in 179, mastered this format in pastel on gray laid paper. This 9½ × 7⅜-inch work may show John Adams, the nation's second president, rendered twice—perhaps from different angles or moments—highlighting the genre's focus on outline over facial details, which often complicates precise identification. Sharples built a thriving practice portraying Founding Fathers like George Washington, documenting the Federal period's political and social leaders. His technique exploited toned paper to create subtle shading and depth with pastel, blending clarity of profile with gentle modeling for lifelike effect. The portable size suited busy patrons and traveling artists alike. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, thanks to the 1995 bequest of Marguerite H. Rohlfs, this piece enriches our understanding of early American portraiture—a democratic art form that made commemoration accessible to the new republic's icons.

About the Artist

James Sharples · 1751–1811

Comment on works: Portraits