Artwork
Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of a Lady is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 2006.235.248
- Credit line
- Fletcher Fund, 2006
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work shows an unidentified woman rendered as a portrait, reflecting the conventional focus on female likeness in early 19th‑century European art.
The work shows an unidentified woman rendered as a portrait, reflecting the conventional focus on female likeness in early 19th‑century European art. No explicit attributes, attributes or symbolic objects accompany the sitter, and the sources do not specify any allegorical or narrative significance beyond its function as a portrait. The anonymous execution and modest dimensions (7 × 5.7 in.) suggest a private, possibly commemorative purpose, emphasizing the sitter’s presence rather than any deeper iconographic narrative.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in watercolor on ivory, a miniature format that required the artist to work with fine brushes and translucent washes over the smooth, luminous ground of the ivory support. This combination was favored for small-scale portraits because the polished surface lent a soft, enamel-like finish to the pigments. The composition is contained within a modest format measuring approximately 7 by 5.7 centimeters, an intimate scale typical of portable keepsake portraits.
Stylistically, the piece reflects the conventions of European portrait miniatures of the 1830s, with delicate handling suited to the sitter's features. No specific condition report is documented in the available records.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Lady is a watercolor on ivory dating to 1835, created in Europe by an anonymous artist; it portrays a woman and falls within the portrait genre. The work is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, accession 2006.235.248, and is classified in the American Wing. Its provenance begins with its 1835 creation and continues through acquisition by the museum, with no earlier ownership recorded. The dating and creation details are documented in the museum’s classification and in the Wikidata entry.
Overview
This "Portrait of a Lady" is a miniature painting, meticulously rendered in watercolor on ivory. The small-scale work depicts a woman with a direct gaze, her features softly illuminated, highlighting a delicate gold brooch at her neck. No larger than a playing card, this piece exemplifies a common form of personal portraiture from its era, offering an intimate portrayal within the American Wing collection.
Context
Before photography became widely accessible, miniature portraits on ivory offered a primary means of preserving and carrying the image of family members or close acquaintances. Their small size made them ideal for personal possession, often kept in lockets or small cases. This particular "Portrait of a Lady" reflects the widespread desire for intimate, portable representations of individuals during a period when such artistry was the only option.
Artist & collection
