This elegant portrait was commissioned by the wealthy family of F. Ambrose Clark (1880–1964), a gentleman jockey and, later, a successful breeder of racehorses. Henri was the leader of the Ashcan School and a mentor to other members. Although he painted some urban scenes of the sort they preferred, he was more active as a portraitist, often, as here, enlisting the style of Diego Velázquez, which had also inspired John Singer Sargent and William Merritt Chase. Naturalistic demeanor, flattened space, broad brushwork, and a monochromatic palette are hallmarks of that style.
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