Portrait of a Gentleman

James M. Pearce, Portrait of a Gentleman, 19th century, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer, 1999.27.40
Copied James M. Pearce, Portrait of a Gentleman, 19th century, watercolor on ivory, image (oval): 2 5⁄16 x 1 7⁄8 in. (5.9 x 4.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer, 1999.27.40
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of a Gentleman
Artist
Date
19th century
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
image (oval): 2 5⁄16 x 1 7⁄8 in. (5.9 x 4.8 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Keywords
  • Portrait male — unidentified — bust
Object Number
1999.27.40
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1999.27.40

Artwork Description

Although this piece is unsigned, the pronounced cross-hatching in the background, the vague sense of clouds behind the man’s head, and the shorthand strokes that create the edges of his necktie are all characteristics of the work of James M. Pearce. The intertwined initials “WC” on the back of the locket are the only clue to the sitter’s identity.