John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Henry Major's profile sketch of the Standard Oil magnate captures Rockefeller in his later years, rendered in graphite with characteristic economy of line. The drawing emphasizes the subject's distinctive facial structure—the prominent nose and receding chin—while the hatched shading at the collar and neck suggests both fabric texture and the weight of age. Major's technique here exemplifies the newspaper illustrator's craft: quick, confident line work that achieves likeness through essential features rather than exhaustive detail. As one of America's wealthiest industrialists and a major philanthropist, Rockefeller was frequently depicted in the press during this period, making him a familiar figure to the newspaper-reading public.