Portrait of Doctor James Lloyd
Gilbert Stuart (1755–1828)
Oil on canvas laid down on panel, 32 ⅞ × 26 ½ in.
Circa 1808
With a steady gaze and composed presence, Dr. James Lloyd is portrayed here with characteristic dignity by America’s preeminent portraitist, Gilbert Stuart. Lloyd, a distinguished Boston physician and Harvard graduate (Class of 1749), was a respected figure in early American medicine. Known for his intellectual rigor and personal integrity, he practiced for decades in Boston and was connected to several of the city's leading families. His role as a mentor to younger physicians and his commitment to public health made him a significant figure in New England’s medical community.
Stuart’s composition—with its rich drapery, subdued palette, and restrained elegance—emphasizes both Lloyd’s personal stature and the artist’s ability to capture the subtleties of character. The soft modeling of the face and hands reveals Stuart’s unmatched skill in creating lifelike presence through paint.
Gilbert Stuart, best known for his portraits of George Washington, painted over a thousand likenesses of early American leaders. His ability to combine realism with a sense of noble repose secured his reputation as one of the founding figures of American portraiture.
Exhibited:
Boston Athenæum, 1829
Illustrated:
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L. Park, Gilbert Stuart: An Illustrated Descriptive List of His Works, vol. 1, p. 485, no. 500
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C.K. Shipton, Biographical Sketches of Those Who Attended Harvard College in the Classes 1746–1750, vol. XIII, pp. 184–193
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Herdeg, no. 70
Provenance:
The sitter, by descent in the Lloyd family
Christie’s, June 5, 1997, lot 44
South Bay Auction, 2019, lot 239
