Portrait of a Gentleman 1827

Johann Carl Koch's 1827 "Portrait of a Gentleman" is a miniature portrait of a man in a black coat and white cravat, painted in watercolor on ivory. Koch's use of delicate brushstrokes and soft shading creates a realistic representation of the sitter. The small scale of the artwork, typical of miniatures, suggests its intended use as a personal keepsake. The portrait is currently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.