Dr. Samuel A. Bemis
ca. 1840
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
3 x 2 1/2 in. (7.6 x 6.4 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1937
Accession Number
37.82
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, *Dr. Samuel A. Bemis* is a delicate watercolor miniature on ivory painted by Alvan Clark around 1840. Measuring just 3 x 2½ inches, this intimate portrait captures the likeness of Dr. Samuel A Bemis, a figure from early 19th-century America, with fine detail suited for personal adornment—perhaps a locket or brooch. Clark, an accomplished portraitist before his fame as an astronomer and telescope maker, exemplifies the era's tradition of miniature painting, where portability met prestige. Watercolor on ivory was a prized 19th-century t...