England / c. 1771–72
Portrait of Colonel Charles Heathcote
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Portrait of Colonel Charles Heathcote as painting (England · c. 1771–72).
The handful of small-scale, full-length portraits Wright painted early in his career include his earliest experiments in landscape painting.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as Oil on canvas and credits Joseph Wright of Derby (British, 1734–1797).
The museum's collection notes: Assuming a relaxed but commanding pose, Colonel Charles Heathcote (1734–1797) stands beside a large oak tree in the foreground of an expansive landscape. He wears military dress, the single epaulette on his right shoulder designating his rank as colonel. Wright’s composition demonstrates his new-found fascination with landscape: while the figure is relatively smoothly painted, the landscape is painted far more energetically, using thickly applied daubs of color.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPortrait of Colonel Charles HeathcoteOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.