Eliphalet Terry 1824

Eliphalet Terry was painted with oil on canvas by Samuel Morse, who is better known as the inventor of the telegraph. Oil paint has historically been a medium of status, available to artists with means, or to those commissioned by wealthy patrons such as Terry, who was a prominent merchant. The application of paint is smooth and the brushstrokes are almost invisible, which adds to the feeling of luxury and status. The layered application of oils allowed Morse to create realistic depictions of light and shadow on Terry’s face, suggesting the social standing of the sitter, as well as Morse’s own skill. Note the dark, somber background, in contrast to the bright, almost luminous, white of Terry's cravat. By focusing on the materials and their manipulation, we see how Morse used the inherent qualities of oil paint to create a portrait that speaks to the social and economic status of both artist and sitter. It reminds us that art is always embedded in a web of social relations.