Portrait of a Lady
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
Sight: 2 5/8 x 2 1/4 in. (6.7 x 5.7 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Dale T. Johnson Fund, 2008
Accession Number
2008.97
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate world of 19th-century portrait miniatures, Frederick R.encer's *Portrait of a Lady*1830) captures the of American high society. Painted in watercolor on ivory—a delicate medium prized for its luminous, pearl-like surface—this tiny gem measures just 2⅝ × 2¼ inches, perfect for a locket or pocket case. Spencer, a skilled American miniaturist active in New York, excelled in these diminutive works, rendering fine details like lace, jewelry, and expressive features with remarkable precision. Miniatures like this one trace a lineage from Renaissance Europe to antebellum America, whe...