Artwork
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Gentleman is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1810 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting titled "Portrait of a Gentleman" is a watercolor on ivory created in 1810 and housed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The painting titled "Portrait of a Gentleman" is a watercolor on ivory created in 1810 and housed in The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It belongs to the portrait genre.
The composition depicts an unidentified man, referred to as a gentleman, emphasizing the sitter’s status through conventional portraiture of the period. The work’s iconography aligns with early‑19th‑century representations of male identity and social standing.
It remains part of the museum’s collection of early American paintings.
Technique & Style
Portrait of a Gentleman is executed in watercolor on ivory, a miniature-format technique suited to its small scale. The support of ivory provides a smooth, luminous ground that allows the watercolor pigments to be applied in delicate, translucent washes, a handling characteristic of early nineteenth-century portrait miniatures. The work measures 7.1 cm in height by 5.7 cm in width, a format consistent with portable keepsake portraits intended for personal display rather than large-scale viewing.
Stylistically, the medium and support reflect the conventions of the watercolor-on-ivory miniature tradition, in which fine brushwork produces finely detailed facial features and subtle tonal modeling against the ivory's natural sheen. The classification within The American Wing situates the object within the material and stylistic lineage of American portrait miniatures of the period.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Gentleman is a watercolor on ivory dating to 1810, depicting a man in a portrait format. The work belongs to the American Wing collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it has been since its acquisition. Its dimensions measure approximately 7.1 cm by 5.7 cm.
The piece entered the museum’s holdings as part of the 2006 acquisition (accession 2006.235.249) and remains on view in the museum’s portrait gallery. No documentation indicates a specific commission or prior private ownership, and the artist remains unidentified.
Legacy
Portrait of a Gentleman, an anonymous watercolor on ivory dating to 1810, entered The American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is studied as an exemplar of early American portraiture. Its inclusion in the museum’s collection has prompted scholarly discussion of anonymous portraiture in the United States and contributes to the broader understanding of early 19th‑century visual culture. The work’s provenance, documented by the Met, underscores its significance within the museum’s holdings.
Overview
This miniature, titled Portrait of a Gentleman, is rendered in watercolor on ivory. It depicts an unidentified man with a direct gaze, presented within a small, intimate format. The artwork's delicate scale and medium suggest it was intended as a personal memento, reflecting a common practice for such portraits during its era.
Artist & collection
