Artwork
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Gentleman is a watercolor painting by the British Romanticist artist John Carlin. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The portrait employs watercolor on ivory, a miniature format favored in the mid-nineteenth century for intimate likenesses.
The portrait employs watercolor on ivory, a miniature format favored in the mid-nineteenth century for intimate likenesses. The ivory support, measuring approximately 3.3 by 2.5 inches, provides a smooth, luminous ground that enhances the delicacy of the medium. The handling is precise, with finely graded washes and delicate stippling to model the sitter’s features and costume, consistent with the technical demands of watercolor on ivory.
Stylistically, the work emphasizes naturalistic detail and restrained elegance, reflecting contemporaneous portrait conventions in American and European miniature practice.
History & Provenance
Created in 1850, this watercolor on ivory portrait of an unidentified gentleman was executed by the artist John Carlin. The work measures 3.3 by 2.5 units and is classified as a portrait depicting a male subject. Currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the piece is accessioned under the number 2006.235.25 and resides within the museum's American Wing.
While the specific original commissioner and the full chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, the work's inception is firmly established at the mid-19th century mark.
Portrait of a Gentleman is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its accession number is 2006.235.25, under which it is catalogued in the museum’s collection. The work is classified within The American Wing and is recorded as a watercolor on ivory portrait dating to 1850.
The painting depicts a man and is listed as a portrait in both the museum’s internal records and the Wikidata entry for the work.
Overview
John Carlin, an American artist, created Portrait of a Gentleman around 1850. This watercolor on ivory piece depicts a man in a dark suit, whose face is softly illuminated as he gazes directly at the viewer. The work reflects elements of British Romanticism, a movement popular during the mid-19th century. Carlin was also notable as the first published deaf poet in the United States.
Context
John Carlin, born in Philadelphia in 1813, established his artistic career in New York City, where he lived until his death in 1891. Beyond his work as a painter and illustrator, Carlin held the distinction of being the first published deaf poet in the United States. This portrait, created around 1850, aligns with the broader aesthetic principles of British Romanticism, a movement characterized by an emphasis on emotion and individual expression.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Carlin (15 May or 15 June 1813 in Philadelphia – 23 April 1891 in New York City) was an American illustrator, painter and poet. He was the first published deaf poet in the USA.
