Pat Lyon at the Forge
between 1826 and 1827
Patrick Lyon wasn't just any blacksmith; he was a wrongfully imprisoned folk hero who commissioned this portrait to prove his honest character. Neagle captures him confidently in his workshop, chest bare and leather apron on, radiating the dignity of hard labor. Notice the boy in the background and the Philadelphia bank steeple visible through the window—a subtle nod to the very institution that falsely accused him. It's a masterpiece of American Romanticism that elevates the common working man to the status of a classical hero.
- Technique
- oil on canvas
Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
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