Portrait of a Gentleman
ca. 1815
Medium
Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions
2 15/16 x 2 3/8 in. (7.5 x 6 cm)
Classification
Painting, miniature
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. William Middendorf II, 1968
Accession Number
68.222.14
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created around 1815, Joseph Wood’s *Portrait of a Gentleman* exemplifies the refined tradition of American miniature painting during the early republic. Measuring just under three inches tall, this delicate work belongs to a genre that flourished in the United States as a means of preserving personal likenesses among the growing middle and upper classes. Wood, active in New York, contributed to this distinctly American art form at a time when the young nation was defining its cultural identity through intimate, portable portraits. The choice of watercolor on ivory highlights both technical sk...
About the Artist
Joseph Wood · 1778–1830
1778–1830