Student Artwork Guide — Untitled (D2X2EM)

Name Class Date

Ezra Ames, Untitled (D2X2EM) (1820). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist: Ezra Ames wahooart.com/en/artists/ezra-ames/
Artist’s dates: 1768 – 1836
Painted: 1820
Original size: 8 x 6 cm
Movement: Neoclassicism A deliberate return to the calm balance and clear outlines of ancient Greek and Roman art.

Copyright This work is in the public domain. Ezra Ames died in 1836; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1906.

Untitled (D2X2EM) — Ezra Ames

How big is it?

The original measures 8 × 6 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When was this painted?

1760
1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830

01
211
1221
2231
3241
4251
5261
6268

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 68 at death.

Painted when the artist was 52. The artist lived to 68. 14 of the 19 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Ezra Ames (1768–1836) ▲ this work, 1820 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1804 Main working years: 1804–1820 Late works: from 1820

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Elkanah Watson (1758-1842), 1809 wahooart.com/en/art/ezra-ames-elkanah-watson-1758-1842-D4HVQ3-en/
Spencer Stafford (1772-1844), 1807 wahooart.com/en/art/ezra-ames-spencer-stafford-1772-1844-D4HVQJ-en/
Maria Gansevoort Melvill (Mrs. Allan Melvill), 1815 wahooart.com/en/art/ezra-ames-maria-gansevoort-melvill-mrs-allan-melvill-D38J3X-en/

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: wahooart.com/en/art/similar/ezra-ames-untitled-d2x2em-D2X2EM-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

Main colour

Phthalo Green #151519

Catalogued palette

#151519
#A39B97
#705C4E
#38332F

These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

Palette: Earthy The dominant colour family in the image.
Main colour name: Phthalo Green
Intensity: Monochromatic How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
Contrast: Statement How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
Harmony: Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
Brightness: Balanced How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
Saturation: Muted How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

Where in the world is this painting looked at?

under 1%
1–3%
3–8%
8–20%
20% and over

This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Ezra Ames over the last twelve months — 1 countries in all. Where these figures come from

The ten leading countries

1 China 100.0%

Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

The 2 most looked-at works by Ezra Ames

1 Edmond Charles Genet (1763-1834), 1810 100.0%
— Untitled (D2X2EM), 1820 this painting 0.0%

Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 20 works by this artist, of which 1 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month

Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

Artist

Ezra Ames

Born in Framingham, United States of America

biography of ezra ames, a noted artist from the united states (1768-1836)

ezra ames, a prominent portrait painter in albany, new york, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, left an indelible mark on american art. born on may 5, 1768, in framingham, massachusetts, ames' life is a testament to his prolific career, with over 700 attributed portraits.

early life and career

ames moved to worcester, massachusetts, in 1790, and married zipporah wood in 1794. his relocation to albany, new york, marked the beginning of his successful portrait painting career. notably, he painted prominent figures such as governor george clinton and alexander hamilton.

artistic style and contributions

ezra ames's work had a popular appeal, characterized by its sure and fluent ease of brush, keen characterization, and pure, fresh coloring.

his portrait of governor george clinton, exhibited at the pennsylvania academy in 1812, garnered wide notice.

ames was skilled at engraving and painted many members of the new york state legislature.

notable works and legacy

the chautauqan magazine described ames as "the most noted portraitist in the state, outside new york city."

ames served as chairman of the fine arts committee of the society for the promotion of useful arts in 1805.

he was posthumously elected an honorary member of the american academy of fine arts in new york city.

later life and death

ames died on february 23, 1836, and is buried at the albany rural cemetery (lot 1 section 59). his legacy continues to be celebrated through his numerous portraits, which remain a testament to his skill and contribution to american art. view more of ezra ames' works on AllPaintingsStore: [https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/ezraames](https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/ezraames) | /en/art/show/art-8xyffg-en/ explore more american artists on AllPaintingsStore: [https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/james-presley-smith](https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/james-presley-smith) | [https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/henry-call](https://AllPaintingsStore.com/@/henry-call) discover the world of art on AllPaintingsStore: /en/art/list/ | /en/art/list/

Where to read more

The artist Ezra Ames wahooart.com/en/artists/ezra-ames/
Similar works More works to compare wahooart.com/en/art/similar/ezra-ames-untitled-d2x2em-D2X2EM-en/
Article 18th Century Masters: 10 Artworks That Define an Era wahooart.com/en/articles/18th-century-masters-10-artworks-that-define-an-era-en/
Article American Realism's Defining Works: 10 Masterpieces for Your Home wahooart.com/en/articles/american-realism-s-defining-works-10-masterpieces-for-your-home-en/
Article The Unvarnished Truth: A Cultural Journey Through the Soul of American Realism wahooart.com/en/articles/ti-misc-the-unvarnished-truth-a-cultural-journey-through-the-soul-of-american-realism-en/
Article Capturing Ephemeral Light: A Definitive Guide to the Artistry of American Impressionism wahooart.com/en/articles/mfp-misc-capturing-ephemeral-light-a-definitive-guide-to-the-artistry-of-american-impressionism-en/

Find this online

QR code linking to the download page for Untitled (D2X2EM)

wahooart.com/en/art/download/ezra-ames-untitled-d2x2em-D2X2EM-en/

Cite this artwork

MLA: Ames, Ezra. Untitled (D2X2EM). 1820, https://wahooart.com/en/art/ezra-ames-untitled-d2x2em-D2X2EM-en/
APA: Ames, Ezra (1820). Untitled (D2X2EM) [Painting]. https://wahooart.com/en/art/ezra-ames-untitled-d2x2em-D2X2EM-en/
Chicago: Ezra Ames. Untitled (D2X2EM). 1820. https://wahooart.com/en/art/ezra-ames-untitled-d2x2em-D2X2EM-en/
Harvard: Ames, Ezra (1820) Untitled (D2X2EM). Available at: https://wahooart.com/en/art/ezra-ames-untitled-d2x2em-D2X2EM-en/

Untitled (D2X2EM) — Ezra Ames

Look closely

Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

What catches your eye first, and why?
Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 1 — do you agree?)
Our catalogue files this work under: portrait, miniature art, 18th century. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
Look back at Elkanah Watson (1758-1842) (1809), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

Your response

Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

Questions & Answers

Where can I see a preview of "Untitled (D2X2EM)"?

The Preview page of "Untitled (D2X2EM)" lets you preview the artwork before ordering.

Who is the artist behind "Untitled (D2X2EM)"?

"Untitled (D2X2EM)" is attributed to Ezra Ames.

How harmonious are the colors of "Untitled (D2X2EM)" by Ezra Ames?

"Untitled (D2X2EM)" by Ezra Ames displays a strong color unity color harmony.