Portrait of a Man
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Oval, 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 in. (36 x 30 mm)
Classification
Miniatures
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Collection of Giovanni P. Morosini, presented by his daughter Giulia, 1932
Accession Number
32.75.28
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate *Portrait of a Man*, by a British painter on ivory, exemplifies the intimate art of 18th- or early 19th-century miniature. Measuring just 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 inches in an oval format, it was designed to be held close—perhaps worn as a locket, pinned to clothing, or treasured in a private collection. Ivory's smooth, luminous surface allowed artists to achieve exquisite detail and subtle color gradations with watercolor or enamel, capturing the subject's dignified gaze and fine attire in a remarkably lifelike manner. Miniatures like this held profound cultural significance in British so...