Oil Portrait General Robert E. Lee Commander Army Of Northern Virginia

Oil Portrait of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Military Uniform
After John Adams Elder (1855–1943)
Medium
Oil on canvas, fully hand-painted.
A mid-20th-century oil portrait depicting General Robert E. Lee, executed after the well-known composition by Confederate portraitist John Adams Elder. This is an entirely painted work with visible brushwork and layered oil application, not a print or reproduction.
Composition & Technique
The composition follows Elder’s established three-quarter profile format: Lee shown half-length, arms folded, turned slightly to the left against a dark, restrained background. The backdrop consists of warm umber and deep brown tonal fields, softly graduated to create depth while maintaining focus on the sitter.
Lee’s military uniform is rendered in deep navy to near-black tones, articulated with controlled highlights defining the structure of the coat and sleeves. The double-breasted jacket features carefully detailed brass buttons in muted gold, providing contrast against the darker fabric.
A broad leather waist belt in rich reddish-brown hues anchors the lower composition, centred with a circular buckle in warm copper-gold tones.
The flesh tones are modelled with warm ochres and subtle pink undertones, while the beard and hair are built up with layered grey and white brushwork to convey texture and age. The overall handling reflects competent mid-20th-century academic studio practice and a historically sympathetic interpretation of Elder’s prototype.
The Sitter: Robert Edward Lee (1807–1870)
Robert E. Lee was born into a prominent Virginia family and graduated second in his class from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1829. He served as an engineer officer in the U.S. Army and gained distinction during the Mexican–American War.
In 1861, following Virginia’s secession, Lee joined the Confederate States Army and became commander of the Army of Northern Virginia. His leadership during campaigns such as the Seven Days Battles, Second Manassas, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville established his military reputation.
After the Civil War, he served as president of Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) until his death in 1870. Lee remains one of the most recognisable and historically debated figures of the American Civil War.
After John Adams Elder
John Adams Elder’s portraits helped define the enduring visual archetype of Lee — dignified, composed and authoritative. Through engravings and printed reproductions, Elder’s composition became widely disseminated and served as the model for later painted interpretations, including this 1954 homage created during renewed mid-20th-century interest in Civil War imagery.
Signature
Signed and dated to the reverse: C. Wood, 1954.
While detailed biographical information on the artist remains limited, the work demonstrates traditional oil technique and adherence to academic portrait conventions.
Frame
Presented in a later gilt moulded decorative frame. The warm gold finish complements the tonal warmth of the background and the brass detailing of the uniform.
Dimensions
Canvas:
30 cm high × 21 cm wide
Frame:
38 cm high × 29 cm wide × 2.5 cm deep
A cabinet-scale format suitable for display within a traditional interior, study, or historical collection.
Provenance
Private collection.
Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD.
Condition Report
Canvas structurally stable.
Areas of paint loss, fading and surface scuffing consistent with age and handling. The painting displays satisfactorily at normal viewing distance. Set within a later gilt frame showing age-related wear, including small chips and surface marks.
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