Unidentified
John Dallas
May one see it?
Unknown: the museum keeps its counsel
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Washington, D.C., United States
The owner is known. Whether it is on view today, the museum does not say, and we were not trained to guess.
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum's own collection data
About the painting
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
Particulars
- Accession number
- 1999.27.80
What it shows
Sources
- Smithsonian American Art Museum: the museum's own open data · fetched 6 days ago
- Image: Smithsonian American Art Museum — CC0