John Ritto Penniman
Born Milford, Mass., about 1782.
Died Baltimore, October 15, 1841.

Portrait of a Man, 18041
Oil on canvas
29 x 24 1/8 in. (73.7 x 61.3 cm)
Charlotte E. W. Buffington Fund, 1989.166
Inscriptions
Bottom right, in yellow paint: "Æt 21.Y. 11. M."

On the reverse of the canvas, in script, at top center, in black crayon: "Painted by/John Ritto Penniman/Boston Jany 30/1804" (fig.1)

Figure 1. Infrared reflectogram of Penniman's signature on the reverse of Portrait of a Man.
On the reverse of the canvas, upper right corner, in graphite: "Died"2

Provenance
E. A. Boardman, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, by 1935; Mr. and Mrs. Roland Carlson, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts.3

References
Andrews 1981, 147, 151, 152, and 165.

Andrews 1982, 147, 151, 152, 165, and addendum to the checklist, n.p.

Exhibitions
John Ritto Penniman (1782–1841): An Ingenious New England Artist, Worcester Art Museum, February 26–April 25, 1982, cat. p. 147.

Notes
1. This painting has also been published as Portrait of a Gentleman (Andrews 1981, 147).

2. In 1980, Penniman scholar Carol Damon Andrews recorded the following inscription: "Died May 25, 1813 @31." Only the word "Died" could be confirmed during the examination undertaken for this catalogue.

3. According to Carol Damon Andrews, a tag that was once attached to this portrait identified Boardman as its owner. Andrews to David R. Brigham, May 29, 2000, object file, Worcester Art Museum.