Portrait of a Gentleman

Unidentified, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1830, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1993.37
Copied Unidentified, Portrait of a Gentleman, ca. 1830, watercolor on ivory, sight 5 3⁄8 x 4 3⁄8 in. (13.7 x 11.1 cm) octagon, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, 1993.37
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Artwork Details

Title
Portrait of a Gentleman
Artist
Unidentified
Date
ca. 1830
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 5 3⁄8 x 4 3⁄8 in. (13.7 x 11.1 cm) octagon
Credit Line
Transfer from the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Keywords
  • Portrait male — unidentified — Miniature
Object Number
1993.37
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1993.37

Artwork Description

By the 1830s, miniatures appeared in various shapes and sizes, becoming less “intimate” than locket miniatures. Patrons now exhibited these pictures more publicly in frames and cases in their homes. Artists, however, continued to use devices to draw viewers into the image. In this portrait, the rich blue fabric complements the colors in the image, and highlights the gentleman’s fixed gaze.