Portrait of a Man, Said to Be James Madison (1751–1836) 1795

This miniature portrait of a man, possibly James Madison, was created by Annibal Christian Loutherbourg in 1795. The painting is a small oval work on ivory, currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Loutherbourg, who died in the same year, is known for his theatrical sets and landscapes, as well as portraiture. This miniature exemplifies the intimate style of portraiture common in the late 18th century. The work's diminutive size and detailed depiction of the sitter's features are characteristic of the miniature painting genre.