Lessing J. Rosenwald 1955

Gardner Cox painted this portrait of Lessing J. Rosenwald, likely in oil on canvas, judging by the visible texture and brushwork. The artist used traditional materials to create the artwork. The visible brushstrokes give the piece an unfinished feel. The way the artist works with paint—layering tones, blending, and leaving some areas deliberately vague—has a real impact. Rosenwald's likeness emerges from a haze of pigment. It’s a reminder that this isn't just a visual record but a crafted object, made through skill and long hours in the studio. Cox was working within a tradition of portraiture that goes back centuries. The painting carries social significance, being both a depiction of an individual, and an object of display and status. Paying attention to the material and making of the portrait encourages us to think about how artists work and the value of the labor involved in creation.