Portrait of a Child of the Harmon Family
American
Brooklyn Museum photograph
Caption
American. Portrait of a Child of the Harmon Family, ca. 1840s. Oil on canvas, 28 x 23 3/4in. (71.1 x 60.3cm) frame: 38 × 34 × 2 in. (96.5 × 86.4 × 5.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Jason Berger, 1999.111.1. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Frequent Art Questions
Why is a kid so young holding a hammer and where is he?
The hammer in his hand is a device used in portraiture to show the qualities or aspirations of the sitter. The hammer, specifically, shows that this child was going to have a career outside of the home. It would also have reflected the toys children commonly had at the time, which helped them learn about adult responsibilities. He is sitting on a chair with a curtain draped in the background. This type of setting was typical of portraits at the time. It doesn't really suggest a specific space, but still conveys some information to the viewer about the sitter's wealth and status.Thanks
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