Portrait of a Gentleman

Art Historical Context

Created around 1795, William Verstille’s *Portrait of a Gentleman* exemplifies the delicate art American miniature painting in the years following the Revolution. Painted in watercolor on ivory, the tiny work measures just over an inch and a half high, a scale that allowed it to be worn in a locket or kept in a private drawer. Such portraits were prized as intimate keepsakes, capturing likenesses with remarkable precision while fitting easily into daily life. Verstille worked during a period when American artists adapted European techniques to meet the needs of a growing republic. Ivory provi...