Andreas Martin Andersen (Bergen, Norway, 1869 - 1902, Boston)
George Santayana, 1897
Charcoal on buff paper, 24.1 x 16.5 cm (9 1/2 x 6 1/2 in.)
This bust-length portrait of a young man, George Santayana, is done in charcoal. The drawing is realistically rendered in careful detail with extensive modeling of light and shadow. The artist fills in most of the background with dark shading; although, it is clear from the shadows on the right side of the young man’s face that the light comes from the right. He is positioned almost facing the viewer but turned slightly so that we only see his right ear. His thick but well trimmed eyebrows are as expressive as his bright, dark, wide set eyes.He has a well tended, bushy, dark mustache that dominates his face, extending from one end of it to the other. Except for the mustache, he is clean shaven. He wears a starched white collar, a small dark tie tucked tightly under his chin, and a dark vest. At the lower right corner, there is an inscription and the artist’s signature.
Blue Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.