John Harrisson c. 1823

Curator: Here we have Frederick W. Mayhew’s “John Harrisson,” painted around 1823. Oil on canvas. Editor: Immediately striking. Stark lighting. The almost severe symmetry of his jacket contrasts oddly with that defiant little curl in his hair. Curator: Exactly! Mayhew captures that duality beautifully. There's an austerity, academic certainly, but with just a hint of playful romanticism fighting its way to the surface. The gold trimming the epaulettes catch the eye and subtly softens his otherwise severe countenance. Editor: Note how the cool grey backdrop enhances the saturation of the red and gold accents in Harrisson's military dress. Structurally, this contrast frames his face and leads the eye smoothly over the portrait. You can practically touch the smoothness of his cheek, while you imagine the rough woolen coat. It gives his figure incredible depth. Curator: You can feel his presence, his restrained power. It almost feels like Harrison knows he is becoming immortal through art and almost seems shy in the knowledge! I love the tiny hint of red in the corners of his eyes, this guy has known a few battles and the glint is still there, somewhere behind the stillness. Editor: What strikes me is the strategic formalism at work. Look at the semiotic load packed into the military garb itself—each stripe, each button signifies rank, duty, nation. But, as you mentioned, there is an undertow. Mayhew tempers this stoic rigidity, that one rebellious strand hints at the wild individualism seething underneath the facade. Curator: Well said! I think that is where Mayhew shows his strength. Yes, there is the pomp and circumstance, and a clear desire to memorialize Harrison. However, I always find myself drawn to what makes him a person rather than a portrait. Mayhew hints to the soul he knows is buried deep in there somewhere. The hint of what it meant to become immortal at the hands of the artist! Editor: An apt way to summarize it. "John Harrisson" succeeds, by not just rendering a likeness, but also hinting at the unseen forces shaping a life during the age of Romanticism, framed with cool Academic eyes. A truly insightful contrast.