Artwork
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Gentleman is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Raphaelle Peale. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a portrait created in 1800, it belongs to the genre of portraiture and was intended to record the appearance and identity of a gentleman.
The painting, titled Portrait of a Gentleman, shows a male sitter rendered in watercolor on ivory. As a portrait created in 1800, it belongs to the genre of portraiture and was intended to record the appearance and identity of a gentleman. The work's subject is simply identified as a man, and its composition follows conventional portrait conventions that emphasize the sitter's status rather than symbolic narrative.
The image functions as a visual document of early American elite masculinity, presenting the subject as a gentleman through the formal conventions of miniature portraiture.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1800, the miniature employs watercolor on a thin ivory support, a format favored for intimate portraiture in the period. The handling is precise and linear, with delicate stippling to model features and costume details, consistent with Raphaelle Peale's early training under his father Charles Willson Peale. The ivory's translucency allows subtle glazing to suggest three-dimensional form without heavy impasto.
Stylistically, the portrait adheres to Federal-era conventions: a restrained palette, sharp focus on the sitter's face, and a dark background to concentrate attention on physiognomic refinement. The work's small scale and refined execution align with the conventions of elite portrait miniatures produced in Philadelphia around 1800.
History & Provenance
Created in 1800, this watercolor on ivory portrait was executed by the American artist Raphaelle Peale. The work depicts an unidentified gentleman and is classified as a portrait. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is housed within the institution's American Wing, and measures approximately 6.7 by 5.3 centimetres.
Specific details regarding the original commission, the identity of the sitter, intermediate ownership, a unique accession number, and exhibition history are not provided in the available records.
Legacy
Portrait of a Gentleman (1800) by Raphaelle Peale, a watercolor on ivory now in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is recognized as an early American portrait miniature that contributed to the development of the genre in the United States. Its inclusion in the museum's permanent collection has sustained its presence in public collections, and its technical refinement reflects the standards of genteel portrait miniature painting in Federal-era Philadelphia.
Overview
Portrait of a Gentleman, created by Raphaelle Peale around 1800, is a small-scale watercolor painting on ivory. This work represents an early example of American miniature portraiture, a genre Peale explored alongside his more recognized still-life compositions. It captures the likeness of an unidentified man, reflecting artistic trends at the turn of the 19th century.
Context
Raphaelle Peale, active during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, is often recognized as America's first professional still-life painter. Although part of a prominent artistic family, he cultivated a quieter practice, focusing primarily on detailed still lifes and these small, personal portraits. His contributions helped shape the nascent American art scene.
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.
