Self-portrait
ca. 1825
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
3 x 2 in. (7.6 x 5.1 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Dale T. Johnson Fund, 2004
Accession Number
2004.117a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
William Dunlap's *Self-Portrait* (ca. 1825) captures the artist in a diminutive yet intimate format, measuring just 3 x 2 inches (7.6 x 5.1 cm). Rendered in watercolor on ivory, this miniature exemplifies a cherished 19th-century American tradition where portraits were created small enough to fit into lockets, brooches, or pocket cases—personal talismans for loved ones. Ivory's luminous, pearl-like surface allowed for exquisite detail and subtle color gradations, making it ideal for conveying lifelike expressions and textures in a jewel-like scale. As a pioneering figure in American art and t...