Collections record Beta

Drawing - Origen Storrs Seymour

1950-04-9

Charcoal portrait of Origen Storrs Seymour, with pencil drawing on reverse. Charcoal or graphite on paper drawing, showing head and shoulders portrait of an older man, facing left. Sitter wears a dark jacket with white shirt and black neck tie. Signed in pencil underneath, "Geo. B Torrey/1890, N.Y." Rectangular box around charcoal sketch with paper lighter on outer border, likely indicating the piece was framed at some point and the visible paper began to yellow. Paper is backed with linen, on which is a crude pencil sketch of the same subject, with mirrored composition. If the work is held up to the light, it appears as though the pencil sketch is a tracing of the charcoal portrait.

George Burroughs Torrey was an American painter best known for his portraits, including those of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, and Hoover. Born in New York, his first studio was on Fifth Avenue where he drew and painted portraits. By 1893, his studio had relocated to Paris, France.

In 1890, when it is believed that Torrey completed this charcoal portrait, Origen S. Seymour would have already been deceased. It is possible that Torrey worked from a portrait or photograph; this work is very similar in appearance to an oil portrait of Seymour in the Historical Society collection (see 1918-06-1). Torrey also completed a charcoal portrait of Seymour's son, Storrs Ozias Seymour, in the Society's collection (see 2012-110-1).

• Torrey, George Burroughs, 1863-1942

1890

Overall width 15.75", overall height 17.5"

• graphite
• linen backing
• charcoal
• paper
• pencil