Portrait of a Gentleman

Jean B. Sel, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1822, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Linden B. Arthur, 1978.169
Copied Jean B. Sel, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1822, watercolor on ivory, sight 2 1⁄4 x 1 3⁄4 in. (5.7 x 4.4 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Linden B. Arthur, 1978.169
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of a Gentleman
Artist
Date
ca. 1822
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 2 1⁄4 x 1 3⁄4 in. (5.7 x 4.4 cm) oval
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Linden B. Arthur
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Portrait male — unidentified — bust
Object Number
1978.169
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1978.169

Artwork Description

In the 1820s, gentlemen wore their shirt collars so high that the neck completely disappeared. The cravat could be worn in a wide variety of ways, and here it is shown in what appears to be the “Oriental” style. The sitter’s hair is cut and combed forward in the romantic style made popular by the English poet Lord Byron.