Artwork
Mrs. Robert Watts (Matilda Ridley)
Mrs. Robert Watts (Matilda Ridley) is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Anson Dickinson. It dates from 1810 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Matilda Ridley Watts, the wife of Robert Watts, rendered in 1810 by Anson Dickinson using watercolor on ivory.
The portrait depicts Matilda Ridley Watts, the wife of Robert Watts, rendered in 1810 by Anson Dickinson using watercolor on ivory. As a miniature portrait, it adheres to early nineteenth-century conventions of intimate, private representation, emphasizing individual likeness and social identity. The subject's attire and pose convey status and refinement, aligning with the portrait genre's role in affirming personal and familial identity within elite circles.
The work functions primarily as a commemorative image, capturing the sitter's appearance for private circulation among family and acquaintances rather than for public display.
Technique & Style
Created in 1810, this portrait by Anson Dickinson is executed in watercolor on ivory, a medium characteristic of the miniature painting tradition. The work functions as a small-scale portrait measuring 7.3 cm in height and 5.7 cm in width. As a portrait within the American Wing collection, the piece relies on the translucent qualities of watercolor applied to the smooth, reflective surface of ivory to capture the likeness of Matilda Ridley Watts.
The handling of the medium allows for delicate rendering of facial features and attire typical of the artist's style during this period.
History & Provenance
The miniature portrait Mrs. Robert Watts (Matilda Ridley) was painted by Anson Dickinson in 1810. The work depicts Matilda Ridley Watts, wife of Robert Watts, a prominent figure in early 19th-century New York society. Created in watercolor on ivory, the portrait belongs to the genre of miniature portraiture.
The work is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accessioned as 1975.138.1 and first recorded in the museum's collection in 1975.
Overview
Painted in 1810 by Anson Dickinson, Mrs. Robert Watts (Matilda Ridley) is a miniature portrait executed in watercolor on ivory. The work depicts Matilda Ridley seated against a neutral, unadorned background, a compositional choice that directs the viewer's focus entirely to her likeness. She wears a dark dress that contrasts with the soft, diffused lighting illuminating her face.
A small gold locket rests at her neck, serving as a subtle focal point. Dickinson, a prominent American limner, utilized the translucent quality of ivory to achieve a luminous skin tone, a technique requiring precision as the smooth surface does not allow for corrections. The miniature format, significantly smaller than a playing card, reflects the era's tradition of personal portraiture intended for intimate viewing or keepsakes.
Created during the height of the American miniature painting tradition, this piece exemplifies Dickinson's skill in capturing the dignified presence of his sitters with economy of detail and refined color. The work stands as a representative example of early 19th-century American portraiture, highlighting the artist's mastery of the difficult watercolor-on-ivory medium.
Artist & collection
Artist
Anson Dickinson (19 April 1779 – 9 March 1852) was an American painter of miniature portraits who achieved fame during his lifetime, producing a very large number of works, but who is now largely forgotten.
