George C. Cox (1851 - 1902)
The Laughing Philosopher, Walt Whitman, 1887
Photogravure, 34 x 27.2 cm (13 3/8 x 10 11/16 in.)
In this sepia-toned photogravure, an older Walt Whitman is seen from the chest up with his body turned slightly to his left and his face turned over his right shoulder to look directly into the camera. His wrinkled eyes and raised white eyebrows are framed by his long, white unkempt beard and by the brim of a large round hat, tilted slightly upward so that the underside of the brim is visible. He is wearing at least two layers of buttoned up clothes underneath a mid-toned overcoat, and he is set in front of a uniformly dark background with a sliver of a white chair visible beside his right shoulder. Handwriting under the photograph reads “Walt Whitman 1887”.
Blue Room
Commentary
This iconic photographic portrait of poet Walt Whitman, famous for his poetry collection Leaves of Grass (1819-1892), was reportedly among the poet’s favorites. He gave it the title “The Laughing Philosopher,” and it is considered a rare print today.