Portrait of Mr. Booth
c. 1810
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
7 × 5.6 cm (2 3/4 × 2 3/16 in.); Framed: 8.6 × 6 cm (3 3/8 × 2 3/8 in.)
Classification
miniature painting
Department
Painting and Sculpture of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
86247
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's collection of European Painting and Sculpture, *Portrait of Mr. Booth* by John Barry (c. 1810) exemplifies the delicate art of miniature painting. This intimate watercolor on ivory, measuring just 7 × 5.6 cm, captures refined likeness of its subject in exquisite detail. Miniatures like this were cherished personal treasures during the Regency era, often worn as lockets or brooches, serving as portable mementos for loved ones separated by travel or war. Barry's mastery shines in his use of watercolor on ivory, a technique prized for its luminous transl...