Portrait of a Lady
1861
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
12 7/8 x 11 in. (32.7 x 27.8 cm)
Classification
Painting
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of William Magrath, 1895
Accession Number
95.20
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate scale of a personal keepsake, Joseph Kyle's *Portrait of a Lady* (1861) captures the poised elegance of mid-19th-century Americanhood. This oil on canvas, measuring just 12⅞ × 11 inches, exemplifies the tradition of small-scale portraits popular among affluent families for private display or mourning jewelry. Kyle, an American artist working in a realistic style typical of the era, renders fine details in fabric and features with the luminous depth oil paint affords, inviting viewers to lean in and ponder her story. Created on the eve of the Civil War, the painting reflects a ...