silhouette

Name/Title

Ira Allen

Entry/Object ID

1954.36.27

Description

Small silhouette of a man within a gold frame. The glass is reverse painted in black and gold, creating a secondary frame with an oval central opening. The man is wearing a cravat or bow time, and has a short piece of a hair sticking out in the front. The words, "Ira Allen" are written on the back of the silhouette, and there is a stamped mark of an eagle that reads, "Peale's Museum."

Artwork Details

Medium

Paper

Subject Person

Allen, Ira (1751-1814)

Context

Said to be a silhouette of Ira Allen previously held by Peale's Museum in New York. The museum closed in 1837, and the stamped mark was used on counterfeit silhouettes afterward, which is likely the case for this piece.

Acquisition

Accession

1954.36

Source or Donor

Rugg, Harold Goddard (1883-1957)

Acquisition Method

Gift

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Silhouette

Nomenclature Class

Art

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Dimensions

Height

6-1/4 in

Width

5 in