John Bill Ricketts
1795-1799
Gilbert Stuart left this portrait of circus owner John Bill Ricketts delightfully unfinished, offering a rare glimpse into his workshop habits. While the subject's face is rendered with striking realism—complete with rosy cheeks and a powdered wig—his body remains a blank, ghostly form. Beside him, a loosely sketched horse hints at Ricketts' profession as the founder of a famous equestrian circus. Stuart was notorious for painting just the heads of his sitters to capture their likeness quickly, often leaving the rest of the canvas bare forever.
- Technique
- Oil on canvas
- Material
- Canvas
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