“The Sailor’s Wedding” by Richard Caton Woodville

“The Sailor’s Wedding” by Richard Caton Woodville depicts a wedding party that has interrupted a justice of the peace in the course of his dinner.

Woodville successfully demonstrates his powers of characterization with his attention to the composition and the details in this painting.

Woodville has composed a large group of figures in the office of a justice of the peace. At the center is the figure of the tall red-haired sailor with oblivious pride and his reserved bride.

The judge is irritated by the interruption of his supper, while the bowing groomsman is making conciliatory gestures.

A secondary drama unfolds in the doorway, with two African-American figures, a crying child, and an old sailor.

The household details set the scene, from the books and papers to the horsehair trunk, which all add to the visual story.

Richard Caton Woodville

Richard Caton Woodville was an American artist who spent his professional career in Europe, and he died of an overdose of morphine in London at the age of 30.

In his short career, he produced less than 20 paintings, but they were popular at the time through exhibitions and prints.