William Langson Lathrop, Self Portrait

In this rare self-portrait, Lathrop portrays himself in profile, looking outward with intent and gripping a pipe. He was born in Warren, Illinois, and was largely self-taught until he traveled to New York for a brief period of study with William Merritt Chase at the Art Students League. By 1896, his paintings had won national recognition and in 1902 he was elected to the National Academy of Design. 

Lathrop depicts himself as an artist-intellectual in deep thought. Peterson, a longtime curator at the James A. Michener Art Museum, has written about and organized exhibitions of Lathrop’s work, reinterpreting his achievements for current generations. A portrait of Lathrop with similar attire and a pipe in hand, done by fellow impressionist Daniel Garber, can be found in the collections of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.