Jim Brown

Object Details

Artist

Henry Koerner, 1915 - 1991

Sitter

James Nathaniel Brown, born 17 Feb 1936

Exhibition Label

Born St. Simons Island, Georgia

It is little wonder that Cleveland Browns star fullback Jim Brown was sometimes likened to Superman. During his pro football career (1957–65), Brown’s strength, speed, and agility made him all but unstoppable as he powered his way over, around, or through his opponents’ defenses. As one lineman noted ruefully, the only way to tackle Brown was “to hold on and wait for help.” Brown’s versatility also made him a constant threat. Besides exceeding the 1,000-yards-rushing mark for seven out of nine seasons and ultimately scoring more than 100 rushing touchdowns, Brown caught passes, returned kickoffs, and even threw the ball for an occasional touchdown. Although his NFL game, season, and career rushing records have now been surpassed, experts continue to rank Brown as one of the greatest ball carriers of all time.

Collection Description

In 1978, Time magazine donated approximately eight hundred works of original cover art to the National Portrait Gallery. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of individuals who have shaped the United States, and the Time Collection—featuring prominent international figures and events—enriches our understanding of the United States in a global context.

En 1978, la revista Time donó a la National Portrait Gallery cerca de 800 obras de arte originales creadas para sus portadas. Nuestro museo se dedica a narrar la historia de figuras que han contribuido a forjar el desarrollo de Estados Unidos, y es así que la Colección Time, que incluye retratos de importantes personalidades internacionales, nos ayuda a comprender mejor a nuestra nación en un contexto global.

Credit Line

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Time magazine

1965

Object number

NPG.78.TC261

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© Henry Koerner

Type

Painting

Medium

Oil on canvas

Dimensions

Stretcher: 45.7 x 32.4 x 2.5cm (18 x 12 3/4 x 1")

Frame: 56.5 x 43.2 x 5.1cm (22 1/4 x 17 x 2")

See more items in

National Portrait Gallery Collection

Exhibition

Champions

On View

NPG, South Gallery 341 Mezzanine

National Portrait Gallery

Topic

Exterior\Sports arena

Equipment\Sports Equipment\Football

James Nathaniel Brown: Male

James Nathaniel Brown: Sports and Recreation\Athlete\Football

Portrait

Record ID

npg_NPG.78.TC261

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm4382c39ae-0f8c-4f83-82da-0a18678358e2