Henry Larcom Abbot
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
3 5/8 x 2 3/4 in. (9.2 x 7 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Lois and Arthur Stainman Philanthropic Fund Gift, 2001
Accession Number
2001.400
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum Art, the delicate watercolor miniature *Henry Larcom Abbot* (1835) by Washington Blanchard captures the of youth in exquisite detail. Measuring just 3⅝ × 2¾ inches, this portrait depicts a young boy—likely the sitter himself, born in 1831—posed with birds, evoking a sense wonder and connection to nature. Rendered on ivory, a favored substrate for 19th-centuryatures, the work showcases Blanchard's skill in translucent watercolor techniques, achieving luminous skin tones and fine feathers that seem almost lifelike. Miniature portraits like this on...