Artwork
Adelaide Mott Bell
Adelaide Mott Bell is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1860, this watercolor on ivory functions as a formal portrait depicting a woman identified as Adelaide Mott Bell.
Created in 1860, this watercolor on ivory functions as a formal portrait depicting a woman identified as Adelaide Mott Bell. The work adheres to the conventions of nineteenth-century American miniature painting, utilizing the small scale and delicate medium to capture a likeness intended for personal remembrance or display. The iconography is straightforward, focusing entirely on the sitter's visage without additional allegorical props or complex symbolic elements described in available records.
As a genre piece, it represents the historical practice of commissioning portable likenesses to document individual identity and social standing during the Civil War era.
Technique & Style
The portrait of Adelaide Mott Bell is executed in watercolor on ivory, a medium characteristic of miniature portraiture from the mid-nineteenth century. Created in 1860, the work presents a formal likeness of a woman within a small-scale format, measuring 8.9 cm in height and 7 cm in width. The artist remains anonymous, though the piece is classified within the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The use of ivory as a support suggests a focus on delicate rendering and luminosity, typical of the genre.
History & Provenance
Adelaide Mott Bell is an anonymous watercolor on ivory portrait dated to 1860 and listed under The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting, described as a portrait of a woman, measures about 8.9 cm in height and 7 cm in width. Its authorship is unknown, and it appears in the museum’s collection of anonymous works.
No additional records detail a commission or earlier ownership, indicating that the work entered the Met’s holdings as part of its anonymous portrait group.
Overview
This miniature portrait, titled Adelaide Mott Bell, is rendered in watercolor on a thin slice of ivory. Its small scale, designed to be held, presents a young woman with her hair softly styled, gazing directly forward. Her dark attire contrasts with the simple background, drawing attention to her features and creating an intimate portrayal.
Context
This portrait is part of The American Wing collection, reflecting a tradition of miniature painting prevalent in the United States. Such works offer insight into personal portraiture practices during a period when larger oil paintings were less accessible or practical for everyday display and remembrance within private settings.
Artist & collection
