Artwork
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Gentleman is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Benjamin Trott. It dates from 1812 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a portrait within the genre, it functions to record the sitter’s appearance and convey his social identity.
The work portrays a seated gentleman, identified as a man, rendered in watercolor on ivory in 1812. As a portrait within the genre, it functions to record the sitter’s appearance and convey his social identity. The composition, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The American Wing, emphasizes the subject’s dignified posture and refined attire, typical of early‑American portraiture that signified status and personal accomplishment.
The painting’s modest dimensions (9 × 7.5 in.) and medium highlight its intimate, personal character, while its provenance, including ownership by Mary Emma Stillman Harkness, underscores its historical significance.
Technique & Style
The Portrait of a Gentleman (1812) is executed in watercolor on an ivory support, measuring 9 × 7.5 inches (22.9 × 19.1 cm). The work belongs to the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was owned by Mary Emma Stillman Harkness. Trott’s technique employs delicate washes and fine linear detail to render a restrained, three‑quarter‑length likeness typical of early‑19th‑century portraiture.
The composition emphasizes a sober pose and muted tonal modeling, reflecting the formal conventions of the genre. No specific condition notes are recorded in the available documentation, but the piece is classified as a portrait within the museum’s collection.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of a Gentleman was created in 1812 by the American artist Benjamin Trott. Executed as a watercolor on ivory, the work measures 9 inches in height and 7.5 inches in width. While the specific commission details and the identity of the original sitter remain unrecorded in the available documentation, the piece has a documented ownership history involving Mary Emma Stillman Harkness.
The painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within The American Wing. The work depicts an unidentified man and stands as a representative example of early 19th-century American portraiture.
The miniature is held by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is catalogued as accession 1941.1.6. It entered the collection through the Mary Emma Stillman Harkness Bequest in 1941. The work has not been recorded in any documented exhibitions according to the Museum’s records.
Overview
Benjamin Trott, an American artist recognized for his small-scale portraits, created "Portrait of a Gentleman" around 1812. This watercolor on ivory piece exemplifies the portrait genre within the American folk art tradition. The work is a miniature, typically no larger than a playing card, and is part of the American Wing collection, reflecting early American artistic practices and the widespread appeal of personal likenesses.
Context
Created during the early 19th century, this portrait reflects the prevalent practice of commissioning small, personal likenesses in America. As a work of American folk art, it represents a widespread artistic output that often prioritized direct representation and accessibility. These objects frequently served as cherished keepsakes, bridging the gap between formal portraiture and personal remembrance within domestic settings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Benjamin Trott (c. 1770, in Boston – 27 November 1843, in Baltimore) was an American painter who specialized in portrait miniatures.
