Artwork
Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of a Lady is a watercolor painting by the Baroque artist David Boudon. It dates from 1782 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2006.235.308
- Credit line
- Gift of Gloria Manney, 2006
About this work
Technique & Style
As a portrait, the composition focuses on the woman’s face and attire, rendered with delicate brushwork typical of late‑eighteenth‑century miniature technique.
The work is a watercolor on ivory miniature portrait, measuring approximately 6.3 cm square, depicting a woman in bust‑length format. The ivory support provides a smooth, luminous ground for the translucent watercolor washes, allowing fine detail and subtle modeling of the sitter’s features. As a portrait, the composition focuses on the woman’s face and attire, rendered with delicate brushwork typical of late‑eighteenth‑century miniature technique.
No information on the painting’s current condition or specific handling beyond the medium is provided in the sources.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Lady is a watercolor on ivory painted by David Boudon in 1782, depicting a woman in a portrait format. The work is classified within The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been part of the museum’s collection since its inception recorded as 1782‑01‑01. Its attribution to Boudon reflects a former classification that has been superseded, though the exact chain of ownership prior to museum acquisition is not documented in the available sources.
The painting’s dimensions measure 6.3 × 6.3 cm, and it remains on view as part of the museum’s portrait genre holdings.
The watercolor on ivory, dated 1782, is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified within The American Wing. Wikidata records its location and collection as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, with dimensions of 6.3 by 6.3. The work, formerly attributed to David Boudon, is catalogued as a portrait of a woman. No specific accession number or exhibition history is recorded in the available sources.
Context
Scholarly discourse surrounding the Portrait of a Lady reflects evolving attributions and contextual placement within early American art; recent research notes that the work was once credited to David Boudon but is now understood in a broader transatlantic portrait tradition, underscoring ongoing attribution debates. Its inclusion in The American Wing highlights its significance as a representative example of late‑18th‑century portraiture that blends European technique with emerging American sensibilities. The 1782 watercolor on ivory, depicting an unidentified woman, serves as a touchstone for studies of gender representation and elite patronage during the period, positioning the piece at the intersection of artistic practice and historical discourse.
Overview
David Boudon's "Portrait of a Lady," created in 1782, presents an intimate depiction of an unidentified woman. This artwork is rendered in watercolor on ivory, a distinctive medium for the period. The subject engages the viewer directly, her composed demeanor captured within the miniature format.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a woman adorned in a dark dress, her lace collar providing a luminous contrast against the deeper tones. Her gaze is directed forward, establishing a direct connection with the observer. Her facial features are rendered with smoothness, conveying an expression that is both serene and subtly engaging, rather than aloof.
Artist & collection
- Portrait of a Noblewoman
Unknown Lady
Portrait of a Noblewoman
Mrs. Jacob Motte (Rebecca Brewton)
Portrait of a woman
Portrait of a woman
Portrait of a Woman
Mrs. Nathaniel Bowen (Margaret Blake)
Portrait of a Lady
Clarissa Storrs
Portrait of Wilhelmina van Pruisen (1751-1820)
Mrs. Joseph Donaldson (Frances Johnston)
