Artwork Page for An Art Student of Paris

Details / Information for An Art Student of Paris

An Art Student of Paris

1899
(American, 1871–1911)
Culture
America
Measurements
Framed: 5.2 x 4.6 cm (2 1/16 x 1 13/16 in.); Unframed: 4.9 x 4.1 cm (1 15/16 x 1 5/8 in.)
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

While portrait miniatures were usually executed on ivory, this example is painted on “ivorine,” an early plastic.

Description

The sitter’s identity is unknown, but she was likely a student of Martha Baker, who was living and teaching in Paris in 1899. Demand for Baker’s portrait miniatures was so great that she resigned from teaching to keep up with commissions. The artist’s obituary in the New York Times stated that she was “the world’s foremost miniature painter.” In this example, the sitter’s shoulders seem to fade into the pale background, emphasizing the similarity between her skin and the material upon which her likeness is painted.
An oval watercolor on ivorine depicts a woman with light skin tone from the shoulders up, looking out at us. Her dark hair is parted in the center and pulled back, framing wide-set eyes and closed lips. The portrait features soft, blended tones against a pale cream background, encased in a gold frame with a small hanging ring. The signature and date "Martha S. Baker 1899" appear along the lower edge.

An Art Student of Paris

1899

Martha S. Baker

(American, 1871–1911)
America

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