Mr. Hagner 1822 - 1828

Daniel Dickinson, an American painter, created this portrait of Mr. Hagner, whose first name is unknown to us, on ivory, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. Portraits like this one were often commissioned by the sitter to give to a loved one; perhaps a romantic partner or a family member. The ornamental loop at the top suggests that this miniature was worn as a pendant. Small personal objects like this one offer an intimate glimpse into the lives of people of the past. What does it mean to see a white, propertied gentleman memorialized in a delicate and expensive object, while the vast majority of people in the United States at the time were excluded from such representation due to race, gender, or class? It may be difficult for us to imagine the experience of the original owner of this portrait. It now serves as a reminder of the complex layers of history embedded in even the most unassuming artworks.