Portrait of a Gentleman

Art Historical Context

In the elegant Portrait of a Gentleman, created around 1785 by James Peale, encounter a quintessential example of early American miniature portraiture. Peale a prominent Philadelphia artist and younger brother of the famed Charles Willson Peale, specialized these intimate works, often commissioned as personal keepsakes. Rendered in watercolor on ivory—a delicate medium prized for its luminous translucency and suitability for tiny formats—this 3/4 x 1 1/4-inch captures the refined poise its unnamed subject, likely gentleman of the post-Revolutionary eliteMiniatures like this flourished late 18...

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...