Artwork
Daniel Strobel, Jr.
Daniel Strobel, Jr. is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Louisa Catherine Strobel. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
This tiny watercolor was painted on ivory, a smooth surface that lets light glow through the paint.
A young man in a dark coat looks straight at you, his face lit softly against a plain background. His collar is crisp, his hair neatly combed, like a quiet snapshot from 1830.
This tiny watercolor was painted on ivory, a smooth surface that lets light glow through the paint. Back then, miniatures like this were keepsakes, carried in lockets or pockets. Louisa Strobel, the artist, was one of the few women working in early American portraiture.
To see more delicate portraits like this, look up the technique: watercolor, glazing.
Technique & Style
The work titled Daniel Strobel, Jr. is executed in watercolor on an ivory support, a technique noted for its delicate translucency and fine linear detail typical of early-19th-century American portraiture. Measuring approximately 6 × 4.4 centimeters, the small format emphasizes intimate characterization, while the restrained palette and precise rendering of facial features reflect the sitter's genteel status. As a watercolor on ivory, the piece demonstrates careful handling of the medium to preserve surface integrity, though specific conservation records are not detailed in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
The watercolor portrait of Daniel Strobel, Jr., painted by Louisa Catherine Strobel in 1830, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art within its American Wing. Historical records indicate the work was previously owned by Ella Church Strobell. While the piece is classified as a portrait depicting a man and measures approximately 6 by 4.4 centimeters, the available sources do not provide a specific accession number or document any public exhibitions in which the artwork has been displayed.
Overview
This small watercolor on ivory depicts a portrait of Daniel Strobel, Jr., created by Louisa Catherine Strobel around 1830. The work exemplifies the intimate scale and personal nature of miniature painting from the period. Strobel, a notable female artist of her time, captured the sitter with a direct gaze and soft illumination, characteristic of the genre.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait presents a young man, Daniel Strobel, Jr., dressed in a dark coat with a crisp collar and neatly combed hair, looking directly forward. This directness, combined with the soft lighting against a plain background, creates an impression of quiet formality. Miniatures like this were often cherished personal mementos, intended to be carried or kept close, reflecting their role as intimate keepsakes during the early 19th century.
Context
Louisa Catherine Strobel, born in Liverpool in 1806 as the daughter of a U.S. diplomat, developed her skills in miniature painting while residing with her family in Bordeaux until 1830. Her training in Europe informed her artistic approach upon her return. As one of the relatively few women actively practicing portraiture in early America, Strobel contributed to the visual culture of the period, creating these personal and highly detailed artworks.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louisa C. Martin, née Strobel (1806–1883) was an American painter of portrait miniatures. She was the daughter of a US diplomat and was born in Liverpool while her father Daniel Strobel was assigned there. On the…
