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Portrait of a Gentleman
James Peale (born Chestertown, MD 1749-died Philadelphia, PA 1831)
1793
- Medium
- watercolor on ivory
- Classification
- Paintings
- Dimensions
- 2 3/8 in. x 2 in. x 1/2 in. (5.9 x 5.1 x 1.4 cm)
- Museum
- Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Painting and Sculpture
- Credit line
- Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Margaret Brennan
- Rights
- CC0 (Smithsonian Open Access), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed
View at the Smithsonian Institution
About this work
Although the identity of the sitter is unknown, clues within James Peale's miniature reveal his social standing. The white cravat around his neck, fashionable among wealthy men in the late eighteenth century, indicates that he was interested in the latest clothing trends. The man's confident gaze meets our own, telling us that he is assured of his place in society. The exquisite detail, seen in the irises of his eyes and the embroidery on his shirt, all rendered with thin, delicate brushstrokes, demonstrates Peale's mastery of the medium.
