William Richards Castle Jr 1878 - 1963

This is a portrait of William Richards Castle Jr by Philip Alexius de László, and it looks like it was made with oil paint. The neutral backdrop and classic, muted palette give the painting a very composed and proper feel, which I see mirrored in the subject's poised stance. It's as if he is saying: "I'm very dignified, thank you very much". The artist has used thin layers of paint to create a smooth surface, almost obscuring the process of its making. I’m drawn to the way the light catches the ring on his finger, pulling me in with its small sparkle. Looking at it closely, I can see that the artist has really focused on making it shimmer and appear very convincing as a precious item. I imagine that the rest of the painting has been executed with the same close attention to detail. This painting reminds me of other society portraits from the time by artists such as John Singer Sargent. Like those paintings, it captures a moment in time, and a certain kind of refined, upper-class identity.