Eye

Unidentified, Eye, ca. 1900, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Henry D. Hill, 1967.110
Unidentified, Eye, ca. 1900, watercolor on ivory, sight 3⁄4 x 3⁄4 in. (1.8 x 1.9 cm) oval, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Henry D. Hill, 1967.110
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Artwork Details

Title
Eye
Artist
Unidentified
Date
ca. 1900
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
sight 3⁄4 x 3⁄4 in. (1.8 x 1.9 cm) oval
Credit Line
Gift of Henry D. Hill
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Figure — fragment — eye
Object Number
1967.110
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1967.110

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.

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