Eye of a Lady

Unidentified (European), Eye of a Lady, ca. 1824, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly, 1929.8.313.2
Copied Unidentified (European), Eye of a Lady, ca. 1824, watercolor on ivory, sight 5⁄8 x 5⁄8 in. (1.5 x 1.7 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of John Gellatly, 1929.8.313.2
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Artwork Details

Title
Eye of a Lady
Artist
Unidentified (European)
Date
ca. 1824
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 5⁄8 x 5⁄8 in. (1.5 x 1.7 cm) oval
Credit Line
Gift of John Gellatly
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure female — fragment — eye
Object Number
1929.8.313.2
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1929.8.313.2

Artwork Description

Small paintings of eyes first became popular during the late eighteenth century. They reminded wearers of a loved one, whose identity remained a secret. The single eye also symbolized the watchful gaze of a jealous partner, who feared that his or her lover might stray. One of the earliest known eye miniatures was painted in 1786 by the English artist Richard Cosway for the Prince of Wales, later King George IV. The miniature showed the eye of Mrs. Fitzherbert, the prince’s mistress. The eye miniatures shown in the Luce Center would have been set in lockets, brooches, rings, or small boxes.