Portrait of a Man
ca. 1810
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Diameter 2 in. (50 mm)
Classification
Miniatures
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Louis V. Bell, in memory of her husband, 1925
Accession Number
25.106.35
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of European miniatures, *Portrait of a Man* by J. Lecourt, created around 1810, captures the elegance of early 19th-century portraiture in a remarkably intimate scale. Measuring just 2 inches in diameter, this ivory miniature exemplifies the delicate artistry of the Napoleonic era, when such tiny gems were prized as personal keepsakes—often worn as brooches, lockets, or carried in pockets to evoke the presence of loved ones. Painted on ivory, a favored medium for miniatures due to its smooth, luminous surface, Lecourt's work showcases the...