Baron FitzGibbon1789 · Study 1919.910

Context from the museum

A fearless politician who engineered the act of uniting Ireland with England, FitzGibbon was the newly appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland (whose duties included that of chief judge) when Stuart painted his portrait. The crownlike upper portion of FitzGibbon's mace, or ceremonial staff, is seen on the table at the right. Propped against the table is a satin and velvet purse embroidered with the royal coat of arms. Worn around the neck like an apron, the purse held the official texts of FitzGibbon's speeches. At the time he painted this work, Stuart was living in Dublin, having spent a dozen years in London. In fact, his Irish patrons regarded him as a British painter. Stuart returned to his native America in 1793, where he remained the rest of his life.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

This portrait was painted on a large piece of textured linen, likely a tablecloth.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected unframed measurement for Baron FitzGibbon is 154 cm wide and 245 cm high, equivalent to approximately 60.6 × 96.5 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.63:1. The rectangular bounding area is 3.77 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 51.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 73.0 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Baron FitzGibbon in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, oil on canvas, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 154 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?