A white-haired man sits in a three-quarter pose, his left elbow propped on a round wooden table and his head resting against his hand. His gaze is steady and direct, meeting the viewer with a thoughtful, almost severe expression. He wears a dark suit with a waistcoat, white shirt, and a black tie, the crispness of the collar and cuffs standing out against the somber tones of his clothing.

His right hand rests on his knee, fingers extended, while his left hand supports his head, the gesture accentuating the long lines of his face and the deep-set eyes. The chair beneath him is upholstered in a pale fabric with carved wooden details, its light color contrasting with his dark attire. Behind him, a heavy green curtain falls in loose folds, its muted color merging into the deep brown shadows that dominate the background.

The light falls from the left, illuminating the sitter’s face, hands, and the front of his suit, while the rest of the composition dissolves into shadow. Broad, fluid brushstrokes describe the folds of the curtain and the sheen of the table, while finer touches capture the sitter’s features and the texture of his hair. Touches of gold on the table’s hardware and a glint from the sitter’s watch chain add subtle highlights to the restrained palette. The composition is tightly framed, with the figure dominating the canvas and little space left around him, emphasizing his presence and character.

John Singer Sargent painted this portrait of Henry Gurdon Marquand in 1897. The work was given to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by the Trustees in the same year. The museum’s record lists the work as being on view in gallery 770.