Self-portrait
ca. 1805
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
3 x 2 7/16 in. (7.6 x 6.2 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1938
Accession Number
38.146.7
Tags
About this artwork
This miniature self-portrait depicts the artist in watercolor on ivory, executed around 1805 and measuring three by two and seven-sixteenths inches. Thomas Gimbrede presents himself with the careful attention to detail and luminous technique characteristic of miniature painting, capturing both physical likeness and professional identity in the diminutive format. The ivory support provides a translucent base that enhances the luminosity of the watercolor pigments, creating lifelike flesh tones an...
Art Historical Context
Thomas Gimbrede's *Self-Portrait* (ca. 1805) is a exquisite example of early American miniature painting, rendered in watercolor on ivory and measuring just 3 x 2 7/16 inches. This diminutive format demanded extraordinary skill—a steady hand and meticulous attention to detail—to achieve the luminous flesh tones and subtle gradations that bring the artist's likeness to life. The translucent ivory support glows beneath the pigments, enhancing the portrait's lifelike quality and showcasing Gimbrede's mastery of a technique prized for its jewel-like precision. Born in France in 1781, Gimbrede imm...