Samuel James

John Smart used one of his typical poses to portray the gentleman here wearing a luminous red coat with gold braids and a white, tied neckerchief. The colours are applied with exceptional precision, a characteristic feature of this prominent English miniaturist. Yet the portrait appears fresh and vivid and far from being rigidly presented in scrupulous perfection. In addition to Smart’s expertise, this lively effect is first and foremost due to the warmth of the colouring. Thanks to the remarkably good preservation of his works in terms of colour, his works still appeal to and fascinate the observer today.¹

The miniature originated from the period when Smart was at the peak of his creativity. It is one of the last miniatures he still created in the very small format; from 1775 onwards he used slightly larger ivory plates. The exceedingly delicate rendition of the eyes right up to each individual eyelash is distinctive for Smart’s meticulous painting manner. From the end of the 1760s he had proceeded from applying shades of blue in the face to working with a vibrant brick red, which bestows much warmth and liveliness on his miniature portraits.²

Tradition has it that the gentleman portrayed is Samuel James from Jamestown. The settlement founded on an island in the James River was the first permanently populated English colony in North America, named after James I of England.

J. S. O.