Artwork
Portrait of a Boy
Portrait of a Boy is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1825 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium and support are explicitly noted as watercolor on ivory, and the piece is classified as a portrait within the museum’s genre taxonomy.
The work is a half‑length portrait of a boy executed in watercolor on an ivory support, measuring roughly 4 inches by 2.8 inches and dated to 1820. It belongs to the American Wing collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is attributed to an anonymous artist. The medium and support are explicitly noted as watercolor on ivory, and the piece is classified as a portrait within the museum’s genre taxonomy.
History & Provenance
The work, titled Portrait of a Boy, is a watercolor on ivory created in 1820 by an unknown artist. Measuring 4 inches in height and 2.8 inches in width, the piece is classified within the American Wing genre of portraiture. It depicts a young boy and was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it holds the accession number 2006.235.304b.
The museum catalog identifies the creator as anonymous, and no specific details regarding the original commissioning patron or the precise chain of ownership prior to its 2006 acquisition are documented in the available records. The work remains part of the museum's permanent collection.
The watercolor portrait titled Portrait of a Boy, created circa 1820 by an unknown artist, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is classified under the museum's American Wing. Its specific inventory designation within the institution is 2006.235.304b.
The available records confirm the object's location and accession details but do not provide information regarding specific past exhibitions or loan history.
Overview
This miniature, titled Portrait of a Boy, presents a young subject depicted with a dark coat and notably rosy cheeks. The boy holds a toy whip, a detail that adds a touch of childhood activity to the formal portrait. Its diminutive scale suggests it was intended for intimate viewing or as a personal keepsake, a common practice for such works within The American Wing's collection.
Subject & Meaning
The subject of this small portrait is a boy, presented in a dark coat with a youthful flush to his cheeks. His inclusion of a toy whip suggests an active, perhaps playful, disposition, contrasting with the formality of the portrait. Such miniature portraits often served as cherished mementos, allowing families to keep a likeness of a loved one close, reflecting the personal and sentimental value placed on these intimate depictions.
Artist & collection
- Portrait of a Boy
Portrait of a Boy
Portrait of a Boy
Portrait of a Boy
Portrait of a Boy
Portrait of a Girl
Henrietta Middleton
Portrait of Frederica Louise Wilhelmina van Oranje- Nassau (1770-1819)
Portrait of Frederik van Oranje- Nassau (1774-1799)
Portrait of Willem I van Oranje- Nassau (1772-1843)
Portrait of a Little Girl
Hester Middleton
