Portrait of a Lady
Unknown Artist
ca. 1835
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
3 1/8 x 2 1/2 in. (7.9 x 6.4 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Thomas S. C. Holberton Jr., 2000
Accession Number
2000.452.3
Tags
About this artwork
This delicate watercolor miniature portrait exemplifies the continuation of miniature painting traditions in 19th-century America even as photography began to supplant painted portraits. Created around 1835 and painted on ivory, this small portrait—just over 3 by 2.5 inches—demonstrates the refined technique required for miniature work. Ivory provided an ideal surface for watercolor miniatures, its translucent whiteness creating luminous flesh tones and allowing for extraordinarily fine detail. ...