Artwork
Martha Bartlett with Kitten
Martha Bartlett with Kitten is an oil painting. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition reflects mid‑nineteenth‑century portraiture’s focus on intimate, everyday scenes.
The painting titled Martha Bartlett with Kitten, dated 1860 and executed in oil on canvas, presents a young girl accompanied by a kitten and a visible boot, all rendered within a portrait format. The work, classified under The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, uses the presence of the kitten and the boot as distinctive visual elements that identify the sitter and suggest a domestic context. As an anonymous portrait, it functions to document the subject’s appearance while the inclusion of personal accessories such as the boot may indicate her social standing. The composition reflects mid‑nineteenth‑century portraiture’s focus on intimate, everyday scenes.
Technique & Style
Created in 1860, this anonymous portrait is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work measures approximately 78.1 cm in height by 61 cm in width. Stylistically, the piece functions as a genre portrait, depicting a young girl accompanied by a cat and a boot.
While the specific handling of the brushwork and the current physical condition of the painting are not detailed in the available records, the composition focuses on the figural representation of the child and her animal companion within a domestic context. The medium and support align with standard nineteenth-century American portrait practices found in major institutional collections.
History & Provenance
Created in 1860, the oil-on-canvas portrait titled Martha Bartlett with Kitten was executed by an unknown artist. The work, which depicts a young girl accompanied by a cat and a boot, currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art within its American Wing. While the specific circumstances regarding its original commission or the identity of the sitter remain unrecorded in the available documentation, the painting's inception is firmly established as 1860.
The piece has been cataloged with dimensions of approximately 78.1 cm in height and 61 cm in width. No further details regarding intermediate ownership or the chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum are provided in the current records.
Overview
This oil on canvas, titled Martha Bartlett with Kitten, captures a tender, intimate interaction. Housed within the American Wing, the painting presents a young girl engaged with her pet, rendered with a directness that suggests a personal connection. The artwork's simplicity and warmth invite viewers to contemplate a private moment, making the unknown artist's portrayal resonate through time.
Artist & collection
