Artwork
Louisa W. Dixon
Louisa W. Dixon is a watercolor painting by the British Romanticist artist William Lewis. It dates from 1833 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The medium of watercolor on ivory was a common choice for intimate portraiture of this period, emphasizing the likeness and personal presence of the subject.
The artwork is a portrait depicting a woman, identified by title as Louisa W. Dixon. Executed in 1833 by William Lewis, the piece presents a straightforward representation of its female subject without additional narrative elements or complex iconography described in available records. As a genre portrait, the work functions primarily as a visual record of the sitter's appearance during the early nineteenth century.
The medium of watercolor on ivory was a common choice for intimate portraiture of this period, emphasizing the likeness and personal presence of the subject. The Metropolitan Museum of Art classifies the work within its American Wing, situating it within the context of early American portraiture traditions. No specific symbolic attributes, allegorical figures, or deeper representational meanings beyond the depiction of the woman herself are documented in the provided sources.
Technique & Style
Created in 1833, the portrait of Louisa W. Dixon by William Lewis is executed as a watercolor on an ivory support. The work measures 6 inches in height and 4.7 inches in width, adhering to the compact dimensions typical of miniature portraiture from this period. As a watercolor on ivory, the medium allows for delicate handling and translucent layers, a technique favored for capturing the subtle nuances of the sitter's features.
The piece is classified within the genre of portraiture and depicts a woman, reflecting the formal stylistic conventions of early 19th-century American miniatures. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically within The American Wing, where its condition and material integrity are maintained as part of the museum's permanent holdings.
History & Provenance
Created in 1833, this watercolor portrait on ivory depicts Louisa W. Dixon and was executed by the artist William Lewis. The work, measuring approximately 6 by 4.7 units, is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art within its American Wing. While the specific circumstances of the commission and the detailed ownership chain prior to its museum acquisition are not explicitly recorded in the available data, the piece is firmly dated to the early nineteenth century based on its inception year.
The artwork serves as a documented example of Lewis's portraiture from this period, preserving the likeness of its subject through the medium of miniature painting.
The watercolor portrait of Louisa W. Dixon, created by William Lewis in 1833, is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Classified within The American Wing, the work depicts a woman and measures 6 inches in height by 4.7 inches in width. While the sources confirm the artwork's current residence at the museum and its creation date, they do not provide a specific accession or inventory number, nor do they list any documented exhibition history for this piece. The medium is identified as watercolor on ivory.
Overview
William Lewis painted Louisa W. Dixon in 1833, a watercolor miniature on ivory. This intimate portrait presents a young woman gazing directly outward, her dark attire contrasted by a single pink rose pinned at her collar. The small scale of the artwork reflects its common use as a personal keepsake during an era preceding widespread photography, offering a detailed yet delicate likeness within The American Wing's collection.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Lewis painted tiny portraits, each one 3 inches wide on ivory, of people in 1830s America.
