Artwork
Charles Goldsborough
Charles Goldsborough is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Robert Field. It dates from 1802 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
A man in a dark coat and white cravat looks straight out, his hair powdered and cheeks faintly pink, in a portrait smaller than a playing card. This is Charles Goldsborough, a Maryland governor, painted by Robert Field in 1802. The smooth ivory lets light through the watercolor, giving the skin a soft glow.
Subject & Meaning
No additional symbolic elements or iconographic details beyond the representation of the sitter are indicated in the available records.
The artwork depicts Charles Goldsborough, a man, as its primary subject. Created by Robert Field in 1802, the piece is classified as a portrait genre work. As a portrait, the image functions to represent the individual likeness of Goldsborough rather than illustrating a narrative scene or complex allegorical symbolism.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art identifies the main subject explicitly as Charles Goldsborough, confirming the work's focus on capturing the appearance of this specific historical figure. No additional symbolic elements or iconographic details beyond the representation of the sitter are indicated in the available records.
Technique & Style
The portrait of Charles Goldsborough, painted by Robert Field in 1802, is executed in watercolor on an ivory support, a technique characteristic of early American portrait miniatures. Measuring roughly 7.3 cm by 6 cm, the work fits within the compact dimensions typical of miniature portraiture, allowing a close, intimate representation of the sitter. Field's handling emphasizes fine linear detail and a restrained palette, producing a realistic yet modestly idealized likeness. The piece is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, within The American Wing.
History & Provenance
Robert Field's 1802 watercolor-on-ivory portrait of Charles Goldsborough is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, within The American Wing. The miniature, measuring roughly 7.3 cm by 6 cm, depicts the sitter and is classified as a portrait. While the available records confirm the museum's possession of the piece and its creation date of 1802, no specific inventory or accession number is provided, and the documentation does not list any exhibition history for the work.
Overview
This small watercolor portrait depicts Charles Goldsborough, who served as a governor of Maryland, in 1802. Rendered on ivory, the miniature presents Goldsborough facing forward, dressed in a dark coat and white cravat. His powdered hair and subtly flushed cheeks are visible within the artwork's diminutive scale, which is smaller than a standard playing card.
Artist & collection
Artist
Robert Field (1769–1819) was a painter who was born in London and died in Kingston, Jamaica.
