Artwork
Christopher Grant Perry
Christopher Grant Perry is a watercolor painting by the British Romanticist artist Richard Morrell Staigg. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The handling likely emphasizes precise draftsmanship and subtle color transitions characteristic of American miniature painting in the mid-19th century.
This 1840 portrait is executed in watercolor on ivory, a medium prized in miniature painting for its luminous, delicate surface. The work measures 8.9 × 7 cm, a intimate scale typical of portrait miniatures from this era. The watercolor on ivory support allows for exceptionally fine detail and smooth tonal gradations, with the ivory's natural translucency contributing to the sitter's lifelike complexion.
The handling likely emphasizes precise draftsmanship and subtle color transitions characteristic of American miniature painting in the mid-19th century.
History & Provenance
The watercolor portrait titled Christopher Grant Perry is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is part of the museum’s American Wing collection, reflecting its classification within that department.
The work dates from 1840 and measures 8.9 cm by 7 cm. No specific inventory or accession number is recorded in the available documentation. The piece has not been listed in any documented exhibition catalogues within the sources consulted.
Context
Christopher Grant Perry is a 1840 watercolor portrait by American artist Richard Morrell Staigg, currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of the American Wing’s portrait collection. The work, measuring 8.9 cm by 7 cm, depicts an unidentified man and is classified within the museum’s American portraiture holdings, reflecting scholarly interest in 19th‑century American painting. Its inclusion in the American Wing signals recognition of Staigg’s contribution to early American portraiture and provides a point of reference for studies of mid‑century portrait conventions.
Overview
Richard Morrell Staigg, a nineteenth-century portraitist, created this watercolor on ivory in 1840. The work depicts Christopher Grant Perry, whose gaze directly engages the viewer. Rendered in a style characteristic of British Romanticism, this miniature portrait offers an intimate depiction, a departure from the larger oil paintings common during the period. Staigg, though born in England, established his career primarily in the United States.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait presents a young man, Christopher Grant Perry, with a direct and composed expression. His neatly styled hair and crisp white collar contrast with his dark coat, drawing attention to his softly illuminated face. The small scale and delicate medium of watercolor on ivory contribute to a sense of personal intimacy, suggesting the work may have been intended for private viewing or as a cherished memento.
Artist & collection
Artist
Richard Morrell Staigg (7 September 1817 Leeds, England - 11 October 1881 Newport, Rhode Island) or R.M. Staigg was a portrait painter in Boston, Massachusetts, in the 19th century.
