Artwork
Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of a Lady is a watercolor painting by the Romanticist artist Daniel F. Ames. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2005.90a, b
- Credit line
- Gift of Jacqueline Loewe Fowler, 2005
About this work
Technique & Style
Portrait of a Lady is executed in watercolor on a thin ivory support, a technique documented for Daniel F.
Portrait of a Lady is executed in watercolor on a thin ivory support, a technique documented for Daniel F. Ames's 1845 work. The medium combines watercolor pigment with the ivory panel, which serves as the painting's support; the surface is smooth and translucent, allowing subtle layering of color. The composition depicts a young woman wearing glasses and a scarf, rendered with delicate brushwork that emphasizes fine detail and a restrained palette typical of mid-19th-century American portraiture.
The portrait measures approximately 7.6 cm by 5.7 cm, as recorded in the museum's catalog. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Lady is a watercolor on ivory created by American artist Daniel F. Ames in 1845. The work depicts a woman wearing glasses and a scarf, rendered in the intimate scale typical of miniature portraiture on ivory. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within The American Wing.
No earlier owners, commission details, accession number, or exhibition history are recorded in the available sources, but the work's material and date situate it within the mid-nineteenth-century American miniature tradition.
Overview
This miniature, titled Portrait of a Lady, is rendered in watercolor on ivory. The small-scale work depicts a woman in a dark dress, her gaze direct and steady. She wears round spectacles, an unusual detail for the period, which contributes to a sense of immediacy and realism. Its delicate execution and intimate size were characteristic of portraiture in the 19th century.
Subject & Meaning
The subject, a woman in a dark gown, engages the viewer directly with her gaze. Her round spectacles are a notable feature, as eyewear was infrequently depicted in formal portraits of the era. This inclusion lends a sense of authenticity and individuality to the sitter, presenting her not as an idealized figure but as a person with a tangible presence, inviting a more personal connection.
Artist & collection
Artist
An American painter of tiny ivory portraits, Daniel F. Ames worked in watercolor between 1840 and 1845. Two surviving miniatures show a woman against a plain background, her dress and features in delicate strokes. Such…
