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James Alexander Ross Cuthbert by Edward Greene Malbone

Edward Greene Malbone · 1799-01-01

This striking miniature, *James Alexander Ross Cuthbert*, painted by Edward Greene Malbone in 1799, is housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art. It captures a fleeting moment of a young man from the turn of the 19th century.

Malbone, renowned as America's foremost miniaturist, masterfully rendered Cuthbert's fashionable powdered hair and piercing blue eyes, conveying a sense of quiet confidence. The intimate scale of the work suggests it was a cherished personal commission, perhaps intended as a locket or pendant.

Born in 1777, Malbone's career, though brilliant, was tragically short. He traveled extensively, working in major American cities and London, yet succumbed to tuberculosis at just 30 years old. His prolific output, however, left a lasting legacy in American portraiture.

What do you think Cuthbert’s expression reveals about him?

Details

It shows James Cuthbert, Jr., a young man of society.
It shows James Cuthbert, Jr., a young man of society.
His powdered hair was the height of fashion at the time.
His powdered hair was the height of fashion at the time.
The deep blue of his coat, rendered with subtle folds, suggests wealth and sobriety.
The deep blue of his coat, rendered with subtle folds, suggests wealth and sobriety.
The warm, metallic sheen of the frame encloses the portrait, emphasizing its preciousness as a miniature.
The warm, metallic sheen of the frame encloses the portrait, emphasizing its preciousness as a miniature.
Transcript

This miniature portrait was painted in 1799. It shows James Cuthbert, Jr., a young man of society. His powdered hair was the height of fashion at the time. The artist, Edward Greene Malbone, was America's top miniaturist. He died tragically young, only 30 years old. Malbone’s precise brushstrokes captured his subjects' true likeness. Here, Cuthbert’s blue eyes seem to hold a quiet confidence.