Portrait of a Gentleman

Unidentified, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1810-1825, watercolor with pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer, 1999.27.75
Copied Unidentified, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1810-1825, watercolor with pencil on paper, image (oval): 3 3⁄8 x 2 3⁄4 in. (8.6 x 7.0 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer, 1999.27.75
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of a Gentleman
Artist
Unidentified
Date
ca. 1810-1825
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
image (oval): 3 3⁄8 x 2 3⁄4 in. (8.6 x 7.0 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor with pencil on paper
Classifications
Keywords
  • Portrait male — unidentified — bust
  • Portrait male — unidentified — profile
Object Number
1999.27.75
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1999.27.75

Artwork Description

The elaborate gold-leaf petals around this miniature draw our eye into the painting. The gentleman’s full-cut, high collar and disheveled hairstyle were typical of an early-nineteenth-century dandy. Framed miniatures of this sort were intended for display rather than to be worn on the body.