Portrait of a Man
probably ca. 1800
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
Oval, 3 x 2 3/8 in. (75 x 60 mm)
Classification
Miniatures
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Millie Bruhl Fredrick, 1962
Accession Number
62.122.39
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate world of early 19th-century portraitatures, Samuel Shelley's *Portrait of a Man* (ca. 1800) captures the elegance of Regency-era Britain. This exquisite oval ivory piece, measuring just 3 x 2 3/8 inches, exemplifies the miniaturist's craft: watercolor painted on a thin ivory tablet, which provides a luminous, pearl-like surface ideal for fine details like delicate facial features, lace cravats, and powdered wigs. Shelley, a prominent British miniaturist active around 1780–1808, was renowned for his precise, lifelike depictions that rivaled larger oils in expressiveness. Miniat...