American Artist: Henry Walton

Jacksonian Era Gentleman
Depicted in Three-Quarter View
and Seated in a Chair

American
circa 1840
by Henry Walton (1804-1865)

1 15/16 x 2 3/8 inches (sight)

watercolor on ivory; housed under glass in a
later (circa 1890-1900) gilt metal case*

Formerly a holding of the Arthur and Sybil Kern Collection**

A photograph of this portrait miniature was published in 1995, in the magazine "Folk Art": Kern, Arthur and Sybil (1995). "On Some Little-Known Miniature Portraits by Well-Known American Folk Painters" (article), as appeared in "Folk Art" (magazine of the Museum of American Folk Art), Volume 20, Number 1, Spring 1995, page 54.

*This portrait miniature's original 1840s case was, at some point, likely damaged beyond repair. In the future, we may replace the current, ill-fitted case with a period-appropriate alternative; but, given the miniature's provenance with the current case, we have chosen to leave it as is for the time being.

**Arthur Burton Kern (1921-2018) and Sybil Blistein Kern (1924-2005), of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, were prominent collectors, researchers, lecturers and writers in the field of early American folk art.

A view of the portrait outside its case, allowing its colors and
brush strokes to be seen more clearly without the distortion or
reflection that is often caused by the glass lens of a miniature's case
(Click + symbol above for an enlarged view)

Other portraits in the Tormey-Holder Collection by Henry Walton
(click photo for larger view and additional information):

Jacksonian Era Lady
Depicted in Three-Quarter View
and Wearing a Bonnet and Spectacles