Martha Washington
1782
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
1 1/2 x 1 in. (3.8 x 2.5 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 2006
Accession Number
2006.235.327
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate world of 18th-century miniature portraits, James Peale *Martha Washington* (1782 stands as a delicate gem. Created as a watercolor on ivory—a medium prized for its luminous, translucent effects—this tiny work measures just 1 1/2 x 1 inches, perfect for wearing in a locket or brooch. Peale, a skilled American miniaturist and brother the famed painter Charles Will Peale, captured the First Lady with remarkable precision during the final years of the Revolutionary War, offering a personal glimpse into one of America's founding icons. Painted amid the fight for independence, the p...
About the Artist
James Peale
James Peale was an American painter born in 1749, the younger brother of the more famous Charles Willson Peale, and a member of one of the most remarkable artistic families in the history of American art. Trained largely by his brother, James worked for many years in Charles Willson's shadow, assisting with portraits and miniatures in the Philadelphia studio before developing his own independent p...