Images(2)

Miniature Portrait of a Man

Dateca.1835

Attributed to Abraham Parsell (1791-1856)

OriginAmerica, New York, New York City

MediumWatercolor on Ivory

DimensionsPrimary Support: 2 5/8 x 2 1/8in. (6.7 x 5.4cm) and Framed: 6 7/16 x 5 1/2in.

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1963.100.5

DescriptionA half-length portrait of a seated man turned one-quarter towards the viewer's left. His proper R arm rests over the back of a black-upholstered, brass-tacked, probably mahogany (or grain-painted) sofa, and he holds a roll of "inscribed" paper in his proper L hand, which is drawn across his body, the hand resting in his lap. He wears a black, double-breasted coat, black waistcoat, and a white, high-collared shirt and white neck cloth. A tiny gold and red brooch secures the neck cloth over his throat, and he wears a gold ring on his proper left pinky finger. His thin brown hair is brushed forward over his temples and receding hairline. He has blue-gray eyes. The background is a soft grayish-brown, lighter toned nearest the face.
The present (8/1/2008) 1-inch oak frame (stained to resemble mahogany) is a cyma reversa molding with a circular aperture; it is a modern replacement that has been paired with a velvet-covered mat with a rectangular aperture.

Label TextNew York City directories reveal that Abraham Parsell worked there as a miniature painter from at least 1820 until his death. All of his recorded portraits are executed on ivory. Before commencing his compositions, Parsell typically incised his tiny panels with shallow, parallel, horizontal lines to encourage the adherence of subsequent layers of paint. (In this example, especially at certain viewing angles, his underlying scoring is readily apparent in many areas, such as the coat and sofa.)
Parsell also exploited the nature of his supports by daubing paint onto the backs of his paintings, knowing the ivory's translucency would allow these colors to impart subtle tints to the images on the fronts.

ProvenanceRobert Carlen, Philadelphia, Pa.