Lazarus M. Goldsmith

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, *Lazarus M. Goldsmith* (1833) by William Lewis is a delicate watercolor miniature on ivory, measuring just 1 13/16 x 1 1/2 inches. This intimate portrait captures the likeness of its namesake subject, a common practice in early 19th-century America such tiny artworks served as cherished personal mementos, often worn as jewelry or in locket cases for loved ones. Painted in watercolor on ivory—a favored medium for miniatures—Lewis employed translucent layers to achieve luminous skin tones and fine details, evoking the precision of ename...