Artwork
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Gentleman is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1815 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2006.235.232
- Credit line
- Fletcher Fund, 2006
About this work
Technique & Style
The medium's inherent fragility and the specific dimensions indicate careful handling and conservation requirements typical for works on ivory from this era.
The Portrait of a Gentleman is executed in watercolor on an ivory support, a medium characteristic of early 19th-century miniature portraiture. Created in 1815, the work measures 8.6 cm in height and 6.2 cm in width, presenting a formal depiction of a male subject. As a small-scale portrait, the artist likely employed fine brushwork to achieve detailed facial features on the smooth, translucent surface of the ivory.
The classification within the American Wing suggests its significance as a representative example of the period's miniature painting techniques. The medium's inherent fragility and the specific dimensions indicate careful handling and conservation requirements typical for works on ivory from this era.
History & Provenance
The Portrait of a Gentleman is a watercolor on ivory dating to 1815, recorded as part of The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession 2006.235.232). The work, attributed to an anonymous hand, portrays a man and has been listed in the museum's catalogue since at least 2006. Its creation history is undocumented beyond the medium and date, and no commission records survive.
The piece entered the museum's collection through a donation or purchase that placed it in the American paintings department, where it remains on view.
Overview
This diminutive "Portrait of a Gentleman" is rendered in watercolor on a delicate slice of ivory. The subject, clad in a dark coat, gazes directly forward, his features gently illuminated. Measuring less than a playing card, this intimate artwork from the early 1800s was likely intended as a personal memento, designed for close viewing rather than public display. It is housed within The American Wing.
Context
Miniature portraits, often painted on ivory, flourished as a popular art form in the early 1800s. These small-scale works served as cherished personal keepsakes, allowing individuals to carry or display images of loved ones. Unlike larger oil paintings intended for walls, miniatures were intimate objects, frequently exchanged between family members or worn as jewelry, embodying a private and sentimental function within domestic life.
Artist & collection
