Artwork
Portrait of a Lady
Portrait of a Lady is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1835 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This small watercolor on ivory, created around 1835 by an unknown artist, exemplifies the American portrait miniature tradition.
About this work
A watercolor on ivory no larger than a playing card, this anonymous American miniature came to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1985 as the gift of Martin Birnbaum. Dated to about 1835, it joins the Met's collection of nearly six hundred portrait miniatures, forty-eight by unidentified hands, alongside works by Charles Willson Peale, Thomas Seir Cummings, and Nathaniel Rogers.
Overview
This small watercolor on ivory, created around 1835 by an unknown artist, exemplifies the American portrait miniature tradition. Measuring approximately 7.1 by 5.6 cm, it depicts an unidentified woman, reflecting a popular art form before photography. Its intimate scale and refined execution are characteristic of works highly valued by families and collectors during the early nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The miniature presents an unknown woman, her identity now lost to history, rendered in a format designed for personal connection. Before the widespread availability of photography, such portraits served as cherished keepsakes, often carried or worn. Their small size facilitated intimacy, allowing individuals to keep images of loved ones close at hand.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor on ivory, a favored medium of the period, this portrait demonstrates the delicate technique characteristic of miniatures. The ivory surface imparted a luminous, translucent quality, particularly suited for rendering skin tones. The artist employed minute brushwork to capture details of the sitter's dress and hairstyle, which align with the fashions prevalent around 1835.
History & Provenance
The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired this miniature in 1985 through a purchase facilitated by the Gift of Martin Birnbaum, by exchange. It is documented in the museum's 2010 publication, "American Portrait Miniatures in The Metropolitan Museum of Art," which details the institution's extensive collection. The work is identified by its object number, 1985.141.3.
Context
It is one of forty-eight such pieces in the collection attributed to unidentified hands, complementing works by known artists like Charles Willson Peale.
Housed in the American Wing, this miniature is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's significant collection of nearly six hundred American portrait miniatures. Although the artist remains unknown, the work contributes to understanding the widespread anonymous craftsmanship of the era. It is one of forty-eight such pieces in the collection attributed to unidentified hands, complementing works by known artists like Charles Willson Peale.
Artist & collection
