William Cross
Unknown Artist
1800
Medium
Watercolor on ivory in gilded copper case; opalescent glass over foil verso
Dimensions
2 1/2 x 2 1/16 in. (6.4 x 5.2 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 2006
Accession Number
2006.235.218
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate portrait miniature, titled *William Cross* and dated 1800, captures the likeness of an early American man in exquisite detail. Created by an unknown artist using watercolor on ivory—a favored medium for its luminous translucency—the 2½ x 2 1/16-inch (6.4 x 5.2 cm) artwork housed in a protective gilded copper case. The verso features opalescent glass over foil a decorative touch that added iridescent shimmer, making it not just a portrait but a cherished personal object, perhaps worn as a locket or carried in a pocket. In the context of early 19th-century America, such miniatures...