The Captive Slave (Ira Aldridge) - John Philip Simpson

Purchased with funds provided by Mary Winton Green, Dan and Sara Green Cohan, Howard and Lisa Green and Jonathan and Brenda Green, in memory of David Green

European Art Modern Art Paintings

"The Captive Slave (Ira Aldridge)" by John Philip Simpson (1827) Oil on canvas.

Commentary

"The Captive Slave (Ira Aldridge)" by John Philip Simpson (1827) invites a close look at how form and feeling work together. Its painted surface guides your eye through color, brushwork, and contrast rather than through narrative alone. Themes to notice include nineteenth century, painting. This piece is held in the source collection's Painting and Sculpture of Europe collection. John Philip Simpson is the artist behind this work. A useful anchor for reading the piece: John Philip Simpson (English, 1782–1847). The work is cataloged within a England cultural context. It is associated with the nineteenth century period. How to look at this work: It is cataloged as painting, which gives a clue to how the museum frames the object. Its medium (Oil on canvas) affects texture, durability, and how detail reads at different distances. Its listed dimensions (127 × 101.5 cm (50 × 40 in.); Framed: 167.1 × 141.7 cm (65 3/4 × 55 3/4 in.)) suggest how intimate or monumental it may feel in person. Subject cues from the catalog include nineteenth century, painting. Compare this reading with the museum record at the source collection: https://www.artic.edu/artworks/193664

Sources: Art Institute of Chicago; Art Institute of Chicago / Public Records; Art Institute of Chicago Collection Data