IDENTIFIED American Portrait Miniature of a Gentleman, 1827!

Fine Art : Paintings : Portrait Miniatures/American/Identified

 

Dated to 1827, this museum-quality miniature portrait on ivory of a gentleman has it all - a handsome subject, an identification of the sitter, magnificent artistry, and an American provenance!

This handsome young man is identified by a pen inscription on the back of the paper which covers the ivory. His name is Jon(athan) L. Tifany, and the portrait was painted in 1827. This gentleman was obviously a well-to-do fellow, and is painted with a distinctly American, academic touch - the palette is one of brown, blues and white, with wonderful shadowing and flesh tones to Mr. Tifany's face. I have done some genealogical research on the name, and a Jonathan L. Tifany is recorded as having been born in upstate New York on November 7, 1800. This gentleman looks just right for 26-27 years old, and it is very likely the same Jonathan L. Tifany in the New York records.

Mr. Tifany is indeed a handsome man, with fashionably swept-back brown hair, long sideburns, intelligent blue eyes, and a gentle but authoritative smile. The artist has even captured the "5:00 shadow" on his chin! He wears a high white stock wrapped with a white linen neckcloth, and a dotted white vest peeking out from his blue shawl-collared, double-breasted jacket, which sports gold buttons. A black watch chain is tucked into his vest. This young man is dressed at the absolute height of Federal fashion for the late 1820s, and he looks appropriately proud! The background is beautifully painted in shades of stippled brown.

This miniature is in mint condition, and retains its original black lacquer frame complete with its original crystal and gilt floral hanger with jump loop. The miniature measures 2 1/4" x 2" sight size. The frame measures 3 1/2" x 4 3/8". The lacquer on the frame is 100% intact, and boasts a gorgeous natural "craquler!" The reverse of the miniature still bears an old label (c.1930) from Frontier Galleries in Kansas City, MO, which reads "American Primitive on Ivory c.1790." The gallery owner must not have bothered to examine the miniature out of its frame, for the information about the sitter and the date was right there in the original ink! The miniature is in mint condition, with no cracks or flaking.

This is a fabulous example of a Federal American portrait, with far more information than most American miniatures can boast of. Moreover, his is one handsome gentleman whom you will never tire of looking at! If you collect the BEST in American portrait miniatures, Mr. Tifany belongs on your wall and in your collection! Do not miss this rare jewel of a portrait on ivory!

Item ID: 813