Artwork
William Cross
William Cross is an oil painting. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
The artist layered thin, see-through washes to build up the face, then backed it with foil so the ivory glows.
A man in a dark coat looks straight at you, his face lit softly. The painting is tiny, smaller than a playing card, and painted on ivory.
Watercolor on ivory was a popular way to make keepsake portraits in the early 1800s. The artist layered thin, see-through washes to build up the face, then backed it with foil so the ivory glows. This one has no name attached, just a date: 1800.
If you like quiet, detailed faces, look up other works in the subject portraits.
Subject & Meaning
The work is a portrait depicting a man, rendered in watercolor on ivory. Created around 1800, the piece functions as a straightforward representation of an individual rather than an allegorical scene. The subject is identified solely as a man, with no specific iconographic symbols or narrative elements described in the available records.
The inclusion of opalescent glass over foil verso suggests a focus on the material presentation of the portrait, though the specific meaning or personal significance of the sitter remains unrecorded in the provided sources.
Technique & Style
Created in 1800, this portrait miniature utilizes watercolor applied to an ivory support. The work is housed within a gilded copper case, which features a distinctive backing composed of opalescent glass layered over foil on the verso. The piece measures 6.4 cm in height and 5.2 cm in width.
Stylistically, the anonymous artist employed the medium to render a likeness of a male subject, adhering to the conventions of portraiture from the turn of the nineteenth century.
History & Provenance
William Cross is a watercolor on ivory portrait dated 1800, attributed to an unknown artist. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified under The American Wing. No further details regarding commission, prior ownership, or chain of custody are documented in the available sources, and the inception date is recorded as 1800-01-01.
The work is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is recorded as an anonymous portrait in The American Wing. Its accession number is not specified in the cited sources.
No exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
This miniature portrait, titled William Cross, depicts a man in a dark coat, his face softly illuminated as he gazes directly forward. Executed in watercolor on ivory, the small artwork is encased within a gilded copper frame, featuring opalescent glass on its reverse. Its diminutive scale, smaller than a playing card, reflects a common format for personal keepsakes from the period.
Context
Miniature portraits painted with watercolor on ivory flourished as a popular art form during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, particularly in America. These small, portable images served as cherished mementos, allowing individuals to carry likenesses of loved ones. Their affordability compared to larger oil paintings also contributed to their widespread appeal among various social strata.
Artist & collection
