Artwork
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist James Peale. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
7 units, the small scale necessitates a refined, intimate approach to formal composition, focusing closely on the subject's likeness.
Executed in 1794 by James Peale, this portrait of Benjamin Lincoln is a miniature rendered in watercolor on an ivory support. The work exemplifies the delicate handling characteristic of the medium, utilizing the smooth, luminous surface of the ivory to achieve subtle tonal variations in the depiction of the sitter. Measuring approximately 4.8 by 3.7 units, the small scale necessitates a refined, intimate approach to formal composition, focusing closely on the subject's likeness.
As a piece housed within The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the object represents a specific genre of late eighteenth-century American portraiture where the translucency of the watercolor interacts with the white ground of the ivory to create a distinctive glow.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Benjamin Lincoln was created by James Peale in 1794. Executed as a watercolor on ivory, the work measures 4.8 inches in height and 3.7 inches in width. While the specific commission details or original patron are not documented in the available records, the piece is firmly dated to 1794.
The artwork is currently held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is classified under the American Wing. The provenance chain traces the work from its creation by Peale to its present location at the museum, establishing its long-term residence in this major public institution.
The watercolor portrait of Benjamin Lincoln, created by James Peale in 1794, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Classified within The American Wing, the work is a miniature portrait on ivory measuring 4.8 by 3.7 inches. While the Metropolitan Museum of Art serves as its current repository, the provided sources do not list a specific accession or inventory number for the object.
Furthermore, the available documentation contains no record of the painting's exhibition history or prior display venues. The artwork remains part of the museum's permanent holdings, representing a late 18th-century American portrait of the Revolutionary War figure.
Overview
James Peale’s 1794 watercolor on ivory depicts Benjamin Lincoln, an example of the artist’s contribution to early American portraiture. This small-scale work showcases Peale's skill in miniature painting, a genre for which he was particularly recognized. The portrait captures its subject with a directness typical of the period, reflecting the conventions of late 18th-century American art.
Context
James Peale established himself as an American painter specializing in miniatures and still lifes. As the younger sibling of the prominent artist Charles Willson Peale, he developed his own distinct practice. His small-scale works, such as this portrait, were instrumental in shaping the early American folk art tradition, offering intimate depictions of individuals from the nascent nation.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Peale (1749 – May 24, 1831) was an American painter, best known for his miniature and still life paintings, and a younger brother of noted painter Charles Willson Peale.
