Artwork
Levinus Clarkson
Levinus Clarkson is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Thomas Seir Cummings. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As recorded in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's records, the work belongs to the American Wing's portrait genre and is catalogued as a depiction of a man.
The painting titled Levinus Clarkson, executed by Thomas Seir Cummings in 1845, is a watercolor on ivory portrait that portrays a male sitter. As recorded in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's records, the work belongs to the American Wing's portrait genre and is catalogued as a depiction of a man. Its creation during the mid-nineteenth century situates it within the early American portrait tradition, where the primary function was to record the appearance and status of the individual.
The image therefore serves as a visual documentation of the subject's identity, reflecting contemporary notions of personal likeness and social standing.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in watercolor on an ivory support, a medium noted for its delicate translucency and fine detail. The work measures approximately 6.1 by 5.1 cm, placing it within the modest scale common to mid-19th-century American portrait miniatures. The composition depicts a solitary male sitter, rendered with careful attention to facial features and attire, reflecting the realist tendencies of the period.
As a portrait classified under The American Wing, the piece exemplifies the formal conventions of early American portraiture, emphasizing clarity of line and restrained color modulation.
Overview
Thomas Seir Cummings created this miniature portrait of Levinus Clarkson in 1845. Executed in watercolor on ivory, the small-scale work captures the sitter with a direct gaze. Miniatures like this were a common form of personal portraiture during the mid-19th century, often cherished for their intimate size and detailed execution. The delicate medium required considerable skill from the artist to achieve such precision.
Artist & collection
