A crusty piece of bread, a short glass of water, a black top hat, a pink conch shell, more than a dozen books, and papers are crammed into an arched alcove in this nearly square still life painting. Lining the bottom edge of the alcove, the long, thin spine of a brown book is printed with the title, “CHOICE CRITICISM ON THE EXHIBITIONS AT PHILADELPHIA” in gold against a red background. To our right, a red portfolio holds a sheaf of loose papers under a thick book titled “LIVES OF THE PAINTERS.” A crusty hunk of bread and a black-handled knife sit on a ceramic plate on the thick book. To our…
Gallery mode Full size at the museum

Window mode follows your eyes with your camera, in this browser only: no picture or position leaves your device.

Poor Artist's Cupboard

painter Charles Bird King (American, 1785 - 1862)

c. 1815

Medium
oil on wood
Classification
Painting
Dimensions
overall: 75.72 × 70.64 cm (29 13/16 × 27 13/16 in.) ; framed: 94.62 × 89.85 × 5.72 cm (37 1/4 × 35 3/8 × 2 1/4 in.)
Culture
American
Museum
National Gallery of Art, CAB
Credit line
Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund and exchange, 1955)
Rights
Public domain (NGA Open Access, CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it
Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed

View at the National Gallery of Art