Artwork
Portrait Miniature of the Marquis de Lafayette
Portrait Miniature of the Marquis de Lafayette is an ivory painting. It dates from 1829 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This small oval portrait depicts the Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman who served in the American Revolution.
About this work
Technique & Style
Its formal qualities reflect the typical stylistic conventions of portrait miniatures of the period, focusing on crisp delineation and subtle tonal modeling.
The work is a portrait miniature painted on an ivory support, measuring approximately 4.1 × 3.5 inches, and dated to 1829. It was executed by an anonymous American artist using the fine, delicate brushwork characteristic of early‑19th‑century miniatures, with a restrained palette that emphasizes the sitter’s facial features. The piece is catalogued in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is preserved under standard museum conditions, indicating stable handling and good overall condition.
Its formal qualities reflect the typical stylistic conventions of portrait miniatures of the period, focusing on crisp delineation and subtle tonal modeling.
History & Provenance
The Portrait Miniature of the Marquis de Lafayette is an ivory miniature dated 1829, executed by an anonymous hand. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is recorded under accession number 83.2.306 and displayed in The American Wing. The work portrays Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, and is classified as a portrait within the museum’s American decorative arts holdings.
No documentary evidence of a specific commission survives; the piece is attributed to an unidentified early‑19th‑century painter working in the United States.
The portrait miniature of the Marquis de Lafayette is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically within its American Wing. The work is cataloged under the accession number 83.2.306. Created in 1829 on an ivory support, the piece measures 4.1 by 3.5 units.
While the artist remains unknown, the institution identifies the subject as Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. The provided sources confirm the work's location and inventory details but do not list specific past exhibitions or loan history.
Overview
This small oval portrait depicts the Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman who served in the American Revolution. Rendered on a thin piece of ivory, the miniature shows a young man in a blue military uniform, his powdered hair tied back. Such intimate portraits were often created as personal keepsakes, designed to be carried or worn, offering a private memento of the sitter.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents Lafayette as a youthful officer, years before he achieved widespread recognition for his role in the American struggle for independence. He is shown with a direct gaze, wearing a distinctive blue military coat adorned with gold buttons. This portrayal captures him at an early stage of his career, emphasizing his fresh-faced appearance rather than his later historical significance as a revolutionary figure.
Artist & collection
