Portrait of Genio C. Scott, 1859 (oil on canvas)

Johnson painted this portrait soon after settling in New York. He had spent much of the previous decade studying at the esteemed art academy in Düsseldorf, Germany, followed by an extended stay in Holland and a briefer visit to France. Scott was a highly successful fashion illustrator and publisher, but his true passion was fly-fishing, which he regarded as “one of the highest enjoyments in life.” Details in his portrait reveal his attachment to the sport: two fishing poles lean on the wall at the right; three tied flies lie on the table at the left, and a fourth is held in his hand.