Eastman Johnson
Although Eastman Johnson is best known today for his depictions of life in late 19th-century America, he derived most of his income from portraiture. Starting in the mid-1840s, he secured important portrait commissions through his father’s political connections. Following a period of study in Europe, Johnson divided his efforts between portraits and genre pictures. After the turmoil of the Civil War, his narrative scenes offered views of American communities and family life.
How was your childhood different from your parents’?
This painting draws inspiration from 18th-century British “conversation pieces”—informal images of families engaged in everyday activities. James Brown, a partner in the Brown Brothers banking firm, is depicted with his wife, Eliza, and their grandson William in their New York City mansion. Embodying the traditional gender roles of the time, James holds a newspaper that connects him with the outside world, while Eliza knits, referencing the domestic life of the home.
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd
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