Artwork
Nicoll Havens Dering
Nicoll Havens Dering is an oil painting by the American Impressionist artist Daniel Huntington. It dates from 1871 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 16.68.5
- Credit line
- Gift of Sylvester Dering, 1916
About this work
A boy in a dark suit sits on a red chair, holding a small wooden horse. His serious face and stiff pose make him look older than he is. Daniel Huntington painted it in 1871, when children were often dressed like small adults. The toy horse, its grain almost visible, is the one soft touch in a formal portrait.
Subject & Meaning
Executed in 1871 by Daniel Huntington, the painting reflects the era's interest in capturing individual identity through intimate, character-driven likenesses.
The portrait depicts Nicoll Havens Dering, a young boy, rendered in a domestic setting typical of American genre portraiture of the late nineteenth century. The inclusion of a toy suggests themes of childhood innocence and familial affection, aligning with conventions of portraiture meant to evoke tenderness and the ephemeral nature of childhood. Executed in 1871 by Daniel Huntington, the painting reflects the era's interest in capturing individual identity through intimate, character-driven likenesses.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1871, this portrait of Nicoll Havens Dering is an oil painting on canvas measuring 76.2 by 63.5 centimeters. As a formal portrait, the composition centers on a young boy depicted holding a toy, a detail that establishes the subject's youth within the genre. The piece uses traditional materials consistent with nineteenth-century American portraiture, with oil pigments applied to a woven canvas support.
The classification emphasizes its role as a representational image focusing on the likeness and attributes of the sitter.
History & Provenance
Nicoll Havens Dering was painted in 1871 by Daniel Huntington in oil on canvas, measuring 76.2 by 63.5 cm. It depicts the sitter holding a toy and is catalogued within The American Wing collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work entered the museum's collection and is documented in its records, which note Huntington as the creator and the Metropolitan Museum of Art as the current owner. No explicit accession number or exhibition history for the piece is recorded in the available sources.
Legacy
The 1871 portrait of Nicoll Havens Dering by Daniel Huntington is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, where it represents American portraiture of the Gilded Age. Its depiction of a young boy with a toy reflects nineteenth-century conventions for portraying childhood, and its presence in the museum's permanent collection underscores its continued relevance to the study of Huntington's portrait practice.
Overview
Daniel Huntington's 1871 oil on canvas, Nicoll Havens Dering, presents a formal portrait of a young boy. The artist, known for his later focus on portraiture after an earlier association with the Hudson River School, captures his subject with a direct gaze. This work is part of The American Wing collection, showcasing a specific approach to child portraiture during the late 19th century in the United States.
Context
Created in 1871, this portrait reflects the prevailing social norms for children's attire, where boys were often dressed in suits that mirrored adult fashion. Artistically, the painting was completed during a period when new movements like American Impressionism were beginning to emerge, yet Huntington maintained a more traditional, academic approach to portraiture, distinct from the nascent avant-garde styles.
Artist & collection
Artist
Daniel Huntington (October 4, 1816 – April 19, 1906) was an American artist who belonged to the art movement known as the Hudson River School and later became a prominent portrait painter.
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