JOHN GEORGE BROWN

A popular genre painter, John George Brown, studied at the Royal Scottish Academy in England and the National Academy of Design. The Young Patriot (also known as The Bugle Boy) typifies Brown's best work. An astute observer of light, Brown captures the sunlight cutting across the composition of verticals and horizontals and highlights a variety of surfaces--wood, fabric, skin, and metal.

The child is well-nourished and apple-cheeked. The stance, the toes of one foot on the other, the childish grip on the bugle and the rural setting all contribute to the appeal of this painting. More importantly, we see a symbol of a change in attitude as America moves toward its centennial year. Brown is depicting the symbol of a young country with opportunity for growth and development. The child, whose monumental size almost fills the canvas, serves as metaphor.