“General Richard Gentry,” created by George Caleb Bingham in 1837, is a portrait painting rendered in oil on canvas. The artwork belongs to the Romanticism and Naïve Art (Primitivism) movements and is currently housed at the Saint Louis Art Museum in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.
The artwork portrays General Richard Gentry, captured in a poised and dignified manner. The subject is dressed in formal attire, with a dark coat and a high-collared shirt, evocative of the early 19th-century fashion. The background is plain, focusing all attention on the general, whose direct gaze and composed demeanor exude a sense of authority and respectability. The use of light and shadow on his face and attire highlights the artist’s meticulous attention to detail, a characteristic feature of the Romanticism movement, while also embodying the simplicity and directness typical of Naïve Art.
