A Man of No Account 1881

Robert Harris’s “A Man of No Account” presents us with an intriguing portrait of an anonymous working-class man, rendered in oil on canvas. The title itself is telling, immediately framing the subject within a specific social context. Harris made the artwork in Canada, where his position as one of the foremost portrait painters of the late 19th century allowed him to choose his subjects and to imbue them with social commentary. Here, the choice of subject suggests a self-conscious move away from painting the Canadian elite, even a challenge to the Canadian art establishment. The man’s humble attire and averted gaze are a contrast to the formal portraiture traditions of the time, which typically celebrated wealth and status. To truly understand the image we can research Canadian social structures and art institutions of the time. It’s a reminder that artistic meaning is always tied to the social conditions in which art is made and exhibited.