Artwork
Henry L. Taylor
Henry L. Taylor is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist George Harrison Hite. It dates from 1833 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, underscoring its significance as part of the nation's early artistic heritage.
The watercolor portrait titled Henry L. Taylor, painted by George Harrison Hite in 1833, portrays an adult male sitter whose identity is traditionally linked to the namesake of the work. As a nineteenth-century American portrait, it functions both as a record of the sitter's physical appearance and as a visual assertion of his social standing within the elite circles of the period. The intimate scale and careful rendering of facial features suggest a focus on personal identity rather than allegorical symbolism, reflecting contemporary practices of commissioning portraits to commemorate status and familial lineage.
The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, underscoring its significance as part of the nation's early artistic heritage.
Technique & Style
Created in 1833 by George Harrison Hite, the artwork depicting Henry L. Taylor is executed as a watercolor portrait on an ivory support. Classified within the genre of portraiture, the piece measures approximately 6.7 cm in height and 5.5 cm in width. The medium combines watercolor pigments with the specific substrate of ivory, a material choice characteristic of miniature portraiture from this period.
The work is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is categorized under the American Wing. The formal presentation focuses on the depiction of a male subject, adhering to the conventions of early nineteenth-century American portraiture through its intimate scale and delicate application of watercolor on the polished ivory surface.
History & Provenance
Created in 1833, this watercolor portrait on ivory depicts Henry L. Taylor and was executed by George Harrison Hite. The work measures approximately 6.7 × 5.5 cm and is classified as a portrait. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, within The American Wing.
The available sources do not record the original commission, intermediate ownership, an accession number, or any exhibition history for the piece.
Overview
George Harrison Hite's watercolor portrait, Henry L. Taylor, dates to 1833. This intimate depiction, rendered on a small piece of ivory, captures a man in a dark coat, his gaze directed forward. The artwork is part of The American Wing collection, representing a common form of personal portraiture from the early 19th century.
Artist & collection
