Artwork
Door Knob
Door Knob is a glass painting. It dates from 1815 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The Door Knob is a small cameo portrait depicting a man shown in profile.
The Door Knob is a small cameo portrait depicting a man shown in profile. Produced in glass between roughly 1800 and 1830, the work belongs to the tradition of miniature profile portraiture, a format especially popular in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries for capturing a sitter's likeness in a compact, keepsake object. By rendering the male subject in strict profile silhouette, the cameo emphasizes contour and outline over detail, a convention historically associated with commemorative and decorative portraiture.
As a functional household object, the knob merges utilitarian purpose with personalized imagery, transforming an everyday item into a vehicle for individualized representation.
Technique & Style
The Door Knob is a 19th-century glass object dated 1800–1830. It is made of glass and decorated with a cameo portrait in relief. The piece belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, listed under The American Wing.
Its formal qualities include a profiled male head rendered in low relief, characteristic of cameo glass work. The object functions as a door handle while displaying sculptural detail typical of American decorative arts of the period.
History & Provenance
The glass cameo door knob is dated between 1800 and 1830, aligning with the early nineteenth-century profile portrait tradition in American decorative arts.
It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1911 as Accession Number 11.109, where it has remained in the museum's holdings. The object depicts a man in profile, consistent with cameo portrait techniques of the period. The provided sources do not list any specific exhibition history for this object.
Overview
This small glass object, titled "Door Knob," features a carved profile portrait. Measuring approximately the size of a dime, it displays a man's side view, with his facial features and collar rendered in pale relief against a darker background. While designated as a door knob, it likely served a similar function as part of a larger decorative set, such as a drawer pull or a handle for a walking stick.
Context
Housed within the American Wing, this object exemplifies the integration of artistic craftsmanship into functional, everyday items. Its presence highlights a period when utilitarian objects were often embellished with fine detail and specialized techniques. The piece can be considered alongside other works that elevate common profiles and human forms into decorative art, reflecting broader aesthetic trends of its time.
Artist & collection
