CC0 · no rights reserved
John Dallas
From the collection of Smithsonian American Art Museum. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The inscription attached to this miniature reads: “John Dallas Departed this life February 11 1801 Aged 38 Years & 10 months.” John’s death date and the burgundy velour frame suggest that this was a piece of mourning jewelry, given to a loved one to remember the deceased. The formality of the sitter’s dress and pose contrast with his disheveled hair and ravaged face. His appearance implies a mortal illness, while the artist’s careful placement of the sitter next to a window suggests a release from suffering.
Smithsonian American Art Museum’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineJohn Dallas. ca. 1801. Unidentified. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer. CC0.
