Portrait of Fred Adelbert Haywood

School of William Matthew Prior · February 16, 1848

Medium

Oil on panel

Original size

35.6 × 26 cm (14 × 10 1/4 in.)

Currently held

Art Institute of Chicago

Movement

Romanticism

Portrait of Fred Adelbert Haywood carries the direct, unguarded quality that makes mid-nineteenth century American folk portraiture so quietly compelling — a young subject rendered with honesty and care against a plain ground. William Matthew Prior was one of the most prolific portrait painters in New England during the 1840s, working across a wide spectrum of clients and price points. He openly advertised that a "flat" likeness without shading could be had for as little as $2.92, while more fully modelled works commanded considerably more — a remarkably transparent approach to the craft. Portraits attributed to his school share a consistent warmth of tone and a directness of gaze that feels personal rather than formulaic, even when the brushwork is economical. Prior is documented to have worked with family members and trained assistants, which is why certain works are attributed to his "school" rather than his hand alone — a common practice among busy portrait studios of the era. Now held at the Art Institute of Chicago, this panel painting dates precisely to 16 February 1848, an unusually specific record that suggests the commission was carefully documented by the family. Our hand-painted oil reproduction honours that same attention — each passage of tone and light applied by hand to match the warmth and character of the original.