William Ellery

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate portrait *William Ellery* by William G. Armstrong, a gem from around 1835–40 now housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing. This intimate watercolor on paper measures just 3 1/8 x 2 3/8 inches, epitomizing the 19th-century tradition of miniature portraits. These tiny treasures were cherished personal keepsakes, often worn as jewelry or tucked into pockets, capturing a sitter's likeness with remarkable precision for loved ones. Armstrong, an American miniaturist active in New York, mastered watercolor's translucent qualities to achieve lifelike skin tones, fi...