Portrait of a Gentleman

Unidentified, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1840, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore through Mr. Henry L. Milmore, 1956.6.60
Copied Unidentified, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1840, watercolor on ivory, sight 2 1⁄4 x 1 3⁄4 in. (5.7 x 4.4 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore through Mr. Henry L. Milmore, 1956.6.60
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of a Gentleman
Artist
Unidentified
Date
ca. 1840
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 2 1⁄4 x 1 3⁄4 in. (5.7 x 4.4 cm) oval
Credit Line
Bequest of Mrs. Henry L. Milmore through Mr. Henry L. Milmore
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Keywords
  • Portrait male — unidentified — bust
Object Number
1956.6.60
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1956.6.60

Artwork Description

In the first decades of the nineteenth century, Roman artworks became fashionable among Americans. Men like this sitter imitated the short, combed-over hairstyles of ancient portrait busts. Beards, however, did not become widely accepted until the 1840s. Joseph Palmer, of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, wore a beard in 1830 and was publicly criticized for what was then considered a violation of propriety. His church refused him Communion, and four men even attacked him to try and shave off the beard in the interests of “morality.” By 1845, beards were seen as a mark of masculinity.