Portrait of a Gentleman
ca. 1825
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
2 1/4 x 1 7/8 in. (5.8 x 4.7 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
2006.235.73
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 19th century, miniaturists like Eliza Goodridge the essence of their subjects in intimate, jewel-like portraits. This *Portrait of a Gentleman*, around 1825, exemplifies her skill in watercolor on ivory—a delicate medium where translucent pigments are layered onto polished ivory for a luminous,elike glow. At just 2¼ x 1⅞ inches, such miniatures were designed as personal keepsakes, often worn in lockets or brooches, serving as cherished mementos of loved ones during an era before photography. Goodridge, a pioneering female artist from Massachusetts, worked alongside her sister Sar...