England, 18th century / c. 1735
Portrait of a Man
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Portrait of a Man as portrait miniature (England, 18th century · c. 1735).
Unlike fragile portrait miniatures painted in watercolor on vellum or ivory, which are prone to cracking, fading, and flaking, enamels are resilient, impervious to the effects of light, and retain their striking original colors over time.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this portrait miniature as enamel on copper in a gold frame with a blue glass and hair reverse and credits Christian Friedrich Zincke (German, 1683/85–1767).
The museum's collection notes: The unknown sitter's shoulders are turned to the right, and he is painted almost full face. He wears a bright blue velvet coat with covered buttons, deep yellow embroidered waistcoat, and white stock collar with double lace frill down the front. His powdered wig falls to his shoulders. He has gray eyes and is clean shaven with rosy cheeks, and the background is dark brown. The miniature is set in a gold locket-style frame. The back displays a lock of dark brown hair inside a border of bright blue foiled glass—a popular framing style for miniatures in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries and, therefore, surely a later addition. S
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtPortrait of a ManOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.