Artwork
Peter Gilman Odlin
Peter Gilman Odlin is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Raphaelle Peale. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a male sitter rendered in a conventional portrait format, emphasizing likeness and individual identity.
The painting presents a male sitter rendered in a conventional portrait format, emphasizing likeness and individual identity. As a work classified as a portrait within the American Wing, it functions as a visual record of the subject’s appearance, a common purpose of early American portraiture to convey personal or familial status. The depiction aligns with the genre’s intent to document the sitter rather than convey allegorical or symbolic content, reflecting the straightforward representational approach typical of Raphaelle Peale’s early career.
Technique & Style
Peter Gilman Odlin is a small-scale portrait executed in watercolor on ivory, a support Raphaelle Peale favored for miniature likenesses. The work measures approximately 5.6 by 4.7 inches, a compact format consistent with the intimate, jewel-like character of early nineteenth-century American portrait miniatures. The ivory ground lends a smooth, luminous surface that allows the watercolor to be applied in fine, controlled washes, producing subtle tonal transitions in the sitter's features.
Peale's handling is restrained and precise, with delicate modeling rather than broad brushwork, reflecting the technical demands of miniature painting on ivory. The portrait is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and classified within the museum's American Wing.
History & Provenance
The portrait by Raphaelle Peale is held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, with the accession number 2017.764.5. It was first recorded in 1805, the year of its creation, and has remained in the museum’s holdings since acquisition. The work has not been documented in major traveling exhibitions in available sources, suggesting it has primarily been displayed within the museum’s permanent collection.
Overview
Raphaelle Peale created this watercolor portrait of Peter Gilman Odlin around 1805. Executed on a small ivory support, the work captures the likeness of its subject with a direct gaze. Peale, recognized for his contributions to early American art, demonstrates his observational acuity in this intimate portrayal, which exemplifies the precision possible with the delicate medium of watercolor on ivory.
Context
Raphaelle Peale holds a significant place in American art history, often cited as the nation's first professional still-life painter. While renowned for his inanimate subjects, he also applied his keen observational skills to portraiture, as seen in this work. His artistic practice developed during the nascent stages of American folk art, reflecting a period of evolving artistic identity and the emergence of distinct national styles.
Artist & collection
Artist
Raphaelle Peale (sometimes spelled Raphael Peale; February 17, 1774 – March 4, 1825) is considered the first professional American painter of still-life.
