Artwork
Baron Joseph Dominique Louis (1755–1837)
Baron Joseph Dominique Louis (1755–1837) is an ivory painting by Pierre Laurent Canon. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Executed in 1844 by Pierre Laurent Canon, this portrait of Baron Joseph Dominique Louis is a miniature painting rendered on an ivory support.
Executed in 1844 by Pierre Laurent Canon, this portrait of Baron Joseph Dominique Louis is a miniature painting rendered on an ivory support. The work's classification as a miniature dictates a specific handling of the medium, requiring fine, delicate brushwork to capture the sitter's likeness on the small, smooth surface of the ivory. As a portrait genre piece, the composition focuses entirely on the depiction of the man, utilizing the luminous quality of the ivory to enhance the flesh tones and formal presentation typical of early nineteenth-century miniature portraiture.
The material choice and date place the object firmly within the tradition of portable, intimate portraiture prevalent before the widespread adoption of photography.
History & Provenance
Commissioned as a portrait miniature, this work depicts Joseph Dominique, Baron Louis. The piece was created in 1844 by the artist Pierre Laurent Canon. Executed on an ivory support, the painting serves as a likeness of the Baron, who lived from 1755 to 1837.
While the specific circumstances of its original commission are not detailed in the available records, the date of inception is firmly established as 1844. The artwork eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently housed and classified as a portrait miniature.
Baron Joseph Dominique Louis (1755–1837) is a portrait miniature painted by Pierre Laurent Canon in 1844. The ivory work belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is catalogued as part of the museum's holdings (no separate accession number is provided in the sources). The painting falls under the portrait genre and is classified as a miniature.
Exhibition records are not mentioned in the available documentation, indicating that the work has not been listed in publicly noted exhibitions up to the present.
Overview
This small oval portrait, titled Baron Joseph Dominique Louis (1755–1837), was created by Pierre Laurent Canon in 1844. Executed on ivory, it depicts Joseph Dominique, Baron Louis, a notable figure of his time. The work is currently part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a glimpse into 19th-century portraiture and the individuals it commemorated.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork presents Joseph Dominique, Baron Louis, a man whose life spanned the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Canon's portrayal captures him with graying hair and a formal cravat, suggesting a figure of maturity and distinction. Such portraits served not only as personal mementos but also as public affirmations of status and identity, reflecting the sitter's position within society.
Artist & collection
