Portrait of a Lady
Unknown Artist
ca. 1840
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
2 3/8 x 1 7/8 in. (6 x 4.7 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 2006
Accession Number
2006.235.244
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Portrait of a Lady*, created around 1840 by an unknown American artist, exemplifies the intimate world of 19th-century miniature portraits. Measuring just 2 3/8 x 1 7/8 inches, it was painted in watercolor on ivory—a favored medium for such gems. Ivory's smooth, luminous surface allowed artists to layer translucent pigments, achieving exquisite detail in the sitter's features, attire, and subtle expressions, often evoking a sense of quiet elegance and personal connection. In antebellum America, these miniatures were cherished keepsakes, pinned to lapels, worn as lockets, or tuc...