Where can I see Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Woman?

Portrait of a Woman is associated with Rococo painting.

Artwork

Portrait of a Woman

Portrait of a Woman is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1788 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting presents a head-and-shoulders depiction of an unidentified woman.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Its diminutive scale characterises it as a miniature, a format traditionally employed for intimate, personal likenesses rather than public display.

The work titled Portrait of a Woman depicts an unidentified female sitter rendered in oil on canvas (or possibly miniaturized). According to the catalog entry, the piece is dated 1776 and is classified as a painting and portrait, while the Wikidata record identifies it as a portrait miniature by John I Smart, a British artist active 1741–1811, and notes its presence in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. Its diminutive scale characterises it as a miniature, a format traditionally employed for intimate, personal likenesses rather than public display.

Consequently, the image functions as a record of an individual woman’s appearance in late‑18th‑century Britain, preserving her likeness in a format suited to private contemplation.

Technique & Style

Portrait of a Woman is classified as a painting and, according to the associated Wikidata record, is a portrait miniature by John I Smart, a British artist active in the late eighteenth century. The work was produced in 1776 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

As a miniature, the work would have been executed on a small scale using the refined, precise handling characteristic of the British portrait miniature tradition of the period, in which artists typically painted in watercolor or gouache on a smooth support such as ivory or vellum, building up delicate layers of color and fine detail to capture the sitter's features with miniaturist precision. No further technical details regarding specific medium, support, dimensions, or condition are documented in the available sources.

History & Provenance

The painting titled Portrait of a Woman is dated to 1776, a date recorded both in its catalog entry and in the museum’s accession records. It is classified as a portrait miniature and was likely executed by British miniaturist John I Smart, who was active from 1741 to 1811. The work entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1941, acquiring the accession number 1941.565, and its inception is noted as 1776‑01‑01. No earlier owners are documented, but the museum’s records indicate its recent provenance begins with this acquisition.

The work, a portrait miniature dated 1776 and attributed to John I Smart, is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its accession number is 1941.565. The provided sources do not list specific exhibition history for this piece.

Overview

This painting presents a head-and-shoulders depiction of an unidentified woman. She is positioned with her body subtly angled to the right, while her gaze directly engages the viewer. The artist employs a varied palette, transitioning from luminous skin tones to deeper shadows, which contributes to the work's sense of volume and form. The overall impression conveyed is one of composed refinement.

Artist & collection

Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

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