Artwork
Paul Joseph Revere
Paul Joseph Revere is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Margaret Bogardus. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The portrait functions both as an intimate family keepsake and as a representation of the Revere lineage, emphasizing continuity and family pride.
The work is a miniature portrait depicting Paul Joseph Revere, the grandson of the American patriot Paul Revere. He is shown as a young boy engaged in hoop rolling, a popular 19th-century child's game, suggesting themes of youthful innocence and leisure. Details such as a stiff collar and a fence frame the subject within a domestic or garden setting.
The portrait functions both as an intimate family keepsake and as a representation of the Revere lineage, emphasizing continuity and family pride.
Technique & Style
The artwork is a portrait miniature rendered in watercolor on ivory, a medium and support typical of 19th-century American miniature painting. Its dimensions are 9.7 by 7.6 centimeters (approximately 3.8 by 3 inches), a standard format for such intimate portraits. The composition depicts the young Paul Joseph Revere engaged in hoop rolling, as indicated by the presence of a toy and a fence, introducing a genre-like narrative element into the formal portrait structure.
The handling of the watercolor on the smooth ivory surface allows for fine detail, evident in the rendering of the boy's collar. The work's formal qualities, a centered bust-length figure against a plain or minimal background, align with conventions of early-19th-century American miniature portraiture.
Overview
This miniature portrait depicts Paul Joseph Revere, a young boy presented with a direct gaze. He wears a blue jacket and holds a toy sword, with a red hat clutched in his hand. His hair is neatly combed, suggesting a formal sitting.
Rendered in watercolor on a small ivory support, this work exemplifies the intimate scale and detailed execution characteristic of portrait miniatures from the period. It offers a glimpse into early American portraiture.
Context
Before the advent of photography, portrait miniatures served as cherished, portable keepsakes, allowing individuals to carry images of loved ones. Their small size made them ideal for personal display or travel, functioning much like modern wallet-sized photographs. This particular work, depicting Paul Joseph Revere, would have been a treasured memento, preserving the likeness of the child for family members or close acquaintances.
Artist & collection
Artist
Margaret Maclay Bogardus (1804 – 1878) was an American miniature painter. Scottish by birth, the daughter of the Reverend Archibald Maclay, Margaret Maclay emigrated to the United States in 1805, marrying James…
