Portrait of a Gentleman
ca. 1795
Medium
Enamel on copper
Dimensions
1 1/2 x 1 1/4 in. (3.7 x 3.2 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Gloria Manney, 2006
Accession Number
2006.235.11
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 18th century, the young American Republic flourished, miniature portraits like *Portrait of a Gentleman* (ca. 1795) by William Russell Birch captured the likenesses of affluent men in intimate, jewel-like detail. This enamel-on-copper work, measuring just 1 1/2 x 1 1/4 inches, exemplifies the era's fascination with portable keepsakes—often worn as brooches, lockets, or carried in pockets as tokens of affection or status. Birch, an English engraver who immigrated to Philadelphia in 1794, brought European finesse to American art, blending realism with a painterly glow achieved throu...
About the Artist
William Russell Birch · 1755–1834
American artist, born England, active Philadelphia. Comment on works: printmaker, miniaturist, enamelist