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Portrait of a Gentleman
From the collection of Smithsonian American Art Museum. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Most portrait miniatures were painted in watercolor on ivory, but here the artist used paperboard, a less expensive material that was probably requested by the sitter. The gold frame and warm yellow background contrast with the black paperboard, emphasizing the gentleman’s profile view and his fashionable high-collared coat. His straight posture and stern gaze suggest a serious personality, while the slightly disheveled hair implies a more romantic side.
Smithsonian American Art Museum’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit linePortrait of a Gentleman. ca. 1805. Unidentified. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase. CC0.
