Jacques-Louis David painted this specially-commissioned portrait of a prominent Quaker gentleman. As noted in the entry for this painting at the Timken Museum in San Diego, Penrose was criticized by other Quakers for his "lavish" lifestyle and perhaps had this austere portrait done to answer this criticism. The unusual placement of the figure (who occupies only 2/3 of the vertical space in the painting) has the effect of making the sitter appear quite short - perhaps as part of his propaganda campaign to appear humble, or perhaps he really was a small man.
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