“Not at Home”
Today, one from the artist often referred to as “The American Rembrandt”.
This oil on board painting, titled “Not at Home”, is by the American realism and genre artist, Eastman Johnson, from circa 1873. This is a very personal painting, as it shows the domestic side of Johnson’s life, which he did not often paint.
As a genre artist greatly influenced by the Dutch masters, Johnson wanted to focus on daily American life. In this personal painting, Johnson depicts the interior of his home that he shared with his wife, Elizabeth, on 55th street in Manhattan in New York City. His wife is seen climbing the stairs on the left. The main room is brightly lit, whereas his wife is climbing up the stairs in relative darkness.
The title implies that the couple were not receiving guests at their home at that time. It has been interpreted that guests came by to visit, but were dismissed, as the couple did not want to be disturbed. It is Johnson’s own domestic comfort that he is sharing with his viewers.
“Not at Home” is currently in the collections of the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York, the United States.
For more on Eastman Johnson, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
