Artwork
Nathaniel Griffing
Nathaniel Griffing is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As an anonymous painting, the piece functions as a visual document of a male subject from the period, preserved in the museum’s collection.
The work titled Nathaniel Griffing is an 1800 watercolor on ivory portrait of an unidentified man, recorded in the classification The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its genre is portrait, indicating a focus on representing the sitter’s appearance and possible status. The depiction follows conventional portraiture of the early Republic, where the sitter’s attire and pose convey personal identity without overt symbolic attributes.
As an anonymous painting, the piece functions as a visual document of a male subject from the period, preserved in the museum’s collection.
Technique & Style
The portrait is executed in watercolor on ivory, a miniature-painting technique that allows for fine, delicate brushwork. The support is a small oval ivory panel, typical of early 19th-century American portrait miniatures. The handling is precise, with tight, controlled strokes that model the sitter’s features and clothing.
The composition is a straightforward bust-length portrait, with the subject facing slightly left against a plain background, emphasizing the face. The condition of the work is not specified in available sources, but the medium on ivory is inherently fragile and susceptible to fading or cracking.
History & Provenance
The portrait Nathaniel Griffing is dated to circa 1800, as indicated by its inception date and catalog entry (1,2). Executed in watercolor on ivory, the work is attributed to an unknown artist, reflecting its anonymous nature (1,2). It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is displayed in the museum’s American Wing, constituting the earliest documented ownership in the provenance record (1,2). No earlier owners, commission details, or exhibition history are recorded in the available sources.
Overview
This miniature portrait depicts a young man named Nathaniel Griffing. Rendered in watercolor on a small piece of ivory, the artwork is characterized by its delicate scale and soft color palette. Such intimate portraits were often created to be held and carried, serving as personal mementos. The subject's dark hair and high-collared jacket reflect contemporary fashion, captured with a quiet, observational style.
Artist & collection
