During his time, artist John Singer Sargent was highly regarded as one of the best, if not the best, portrait painter. Wealthy and famous individuals would often commission him to paint their picture, capturing their essence as well as some symbolic objects important to them. This artwork is no exception. In this 7-foot tall portrait, Sargent captures the older, White 5-foot, 7-inch actor Edwin Booth standing in front of a fireplace in a simple but large room.

Booth stands in the center of the painting in a contrapposto pose, most of his weight resting on the back, right foot. He has dark hair with streaks of gray on the sides and bushy eyebrows. He stares out past the viewer with a distant look in his eyes. His nose is small and his mouth is closed. Booth is cleanly shaven. He is dressed in a dark, gray and black three-piece suit and a white shirt with a black tie. His attitude is relaxed, but his stance expresses suppressed energy and nervous tension. His hands are at his waist; his thumbs are tucked into high-waisted pockets and his four fingers on each hand curl up, as if holding his pants up. His face and hands are the only part of his skin visible.

Sargent captures two sides of Booth. One side of his personality, the public persona, is conveyed on the left side of his body: the perfectly styled hair, nicely fitted and laid clothing, and extended foot out toward the viewer. His right side addresses the private side of his life; his unkempt gray hair, his untidy jacket lapel, and his angling away from the viewer suggests a messier and reclusive side that wouldn’t be known by those who saw him on stage.

Behind Booth is a muted, but symbolic background. On the right side of the painting and floor he stands on is a palette of flat, soft yellows, taupes, and browns. In the top, right corner is an ornately carved corbel, suggesting that it is holding a heavy mantel piece not depicted in the scene. Directly behind Booth and on the left half of the painting is a red fireplace and hearth. At the top left is an inscription penned by Booth in black cursive on the mantel. It reads:

GOODE FRENDE, FOR FRENDSHIP’S SAKE FOREBEARE

TO UTTER WHAT IS GOSSIP HERE

IN SOCIAL CHAT LEAST UNAWARES

THY TONGE OFFEND THY FELLOWE PLAIERS

Below the inscription is a medallion above the keystone of the fireplace that shows comedy and tragedy masks associated with theatre. Inside the dark fireplace is a fire that is close to burning out; only three bright orange embers glow. In front of the fireplace are muted gold, curvy, squat andirons; only a small part of the left one is included and the right one is mostly covered up by the Booth’s right leg.

This portrait of New York-based actor Edwin Booth is a wonderful example of Sargent’s talent to capture the sitter’s personality and interests.