Portrait of a Lady
1844
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
3 7/16 x 2 3/4 in. (8.7 x 7 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1937
Accession Number
37.168
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the intimate world of 19th portrait miniatures with John Carlin's *Portrait of a Lady* (1844), a watercolor on ivory measuring just 3 7/16 x 2 3/4 inches. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this gem exemplifies the miniaturist's craft, where tiny canvases captured the essence of sitters for personal keepsakes like lockets or brooches., an Irish-born American artist renowned for his precise, lifelike portraits, masterfully layered translucent pigments on the smooth, luminous ivory surface, creating a glowing, jewel-like effect that rivals larger oils. Created d...
About the Artist
John Carlin · 1813–1891
American, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1813–1891 New York