Artwork
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting depicts an unidentified man, characterized by his white hair and formal attire, including a black jacket and a white cravat.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The sitter’s clothing and posture follow contemporary fashion, but no attributes or symbols that would indicate a specific identity or narrative are recorded.
The work titled Portrait of a Man is a small oil on canvas painting dated 1800, classified as a portrait miniature. It depicts an unidentified male sitter rendered in a conventional, realistic manner typical of early nineteenth‑century portraiture. The sitter’s clothing and posture follow contemporary fashion, but no attributes or symbols that would indicate a specific identity or narrative are recorded.
As a genre, the piece functions as a straightforward likeness rather than an allegorical or symbolic composition, reflecting the sitter’s status through modest visual cues. The painting is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Technique & Style
The work is a portrait miniature created by the French artist Jean-Urbain Guérin around 1800. As a miniature, the piece utilizes a small-scale format characteristic of the genre, designed for intimate viewing. The painting is classified within the portrait genre and dates to the turn of the nineteenth century.
It is currently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is cataloged under the accession number 1943.642. The specific support material and handling techniques typical of Guérin's miniatures are implied by its classification, though exact details on the medium or condition are not specified in the provided records.
History & Provenance
Portrait of a Man is a portrait miniature created in 1800 by Jean-Urbain Guérin, a French artist active during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is held under the accession number 1943.642. No further details regarding its commission, prior ownership, or chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum are documented in the available sources.
The work is held at the Cleveland Museum of Art, inventoried as 1943.642.
It has been identified as a portrait miniature attributed to Jean-Urbain Guérin and dated to 1800. In 1943, the museum accessioned the miniature as part of its collection.
Overview
This painting depicts an unidentified man, characterized by his white hair and formal attire, including a black jacket and a white cravat. He engages the viewer with a direct, neutral gaze. The artist employed a dark background, which serves to emphasize the subject's form and facial details, drawing attention to his presence within the frame.
Artist & collection
- Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of Sir Thomas Baring, 2nd Baronet
Portrait of a Man, possibly Alexander I, Emperor of Russia
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Gentleman
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of a Man
Portrait of Sir Thomas Baring, 2nd Baronet
Portrait of a Man, possibly Alexander I, Emperor of Russia
Portrait of John Clark