Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. James Holmes died in 1860; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1930.
In context
Scent Bottle — James Holmes
The original measures 9 × 7 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 83 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of James Holmes (1777–1860) ▲ this work, 1991 every dated painting, decade by decade
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: artsdot.com/en/art/similar/james-holmes-scent-bottle-AQRTDT-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
White #e8e7e7
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 100.0% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 9 works by this artist, of which 6 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
About this artwork
Scent Bottle — James Holmes
The Scent Bottle created by James Holmes in 1991 is a stunning example of glass artistry. This beautiful piece, measuring 9 x 7 cm, is made of blown glass and is currently housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The Scent Bottle showcases Holmes' exceptional skill in crafting intricate and delicate glass designs.
Holmes' use of color and shape in the Scent Bottle is a testament to his artistic style and technique. The piece features a unique blend of transparent and opaque glass, creating a captivating visual effect. The Scent Bottle is not only aesthetically pleasing but also demonstrates Holmes' mastery of glassblowing techniques. Key Features:
Made of blown glass
Measures 9 x 7 cm
Housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Created in 1991 by James Holmes
BR> For those interested in learning more about James Holmes and his work, AllPaintingsStore.com offers a range of resources, including information on the artist's background and techniques. Additionally, the website provides an opportunity to purchase handmade oil painting reproductions of famous artworks, including those by James Holmes.
The Scent Bottle by James Holmes is a remarkable example of glass artistry and a testament to the artist's skill and creativity. For art enthusiasts and collectors, this piece is a must-see, and AllPaintingsStore.com offers a unique chance to explore and appreciate the beauty of handmade oil painting reproductions. By visiting Wikipedia, one can also gain a deeper understanding of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and its extensive collection of American art.
Artist and museum
James Holmes, born in 1777, emerged as a luminous figure within the vibrant tapestry of British art during the Romantic era. His artistic journey was one of profound technical evolution, beginning not with a brush, but with the precise, disciplined hand of an engraver. Under the tutelage of the respected Robert Mitchell Meadows, Holmes mastered the delicate art of printmaking, a foundation that would later imbue his paintings with an extraordinary sense of detail and structural clarity. This early mastery was evidenced as early as 1800, when he executed a striking stipple portrait of Rickman after Hazlitt, a work that signaled the arrival of a significant new talent in the London art scene.
Beyond the silent world of pigments and plates, Holmes possessed a soul deeply attuned to melody. A gifted flute player, his life was a harmonious blend of visual and auditory artistry. This musicality was not merely a private passion but a professional influence; encouraged by the renowned music publisher Novello, he pursued formal training at the Royal Academy Schools. His presence at the Academy was both enduring and prestigious, as he exhibited works there for over four decades, from 1798 until 1849. This long-standing relationship with the Royal Academy allowed him to witness and participate in the shifting tides of British aesthetic taste, cementing his status as a dedicated observer of the human condition.
While Holmes is perhaps most celebrated for his exquisite miniature portraits, his creative spirit refused to be confined to a single scale or medium. He was a painter of remarkable versatility, moving with grace between the intimate world of miniatures and the broader narratives of genre painting. His technical prowess extended into the realm of watercolours, where he achieved membership in the Society of Painters in Watercolour in 1813. In this medium, works such as “Hot Porridge” and “The Married Man” showcased a delightful ability to capture everyday life with both charm and psychological depth.
His career was marked by significant institutional leadership and a commitment to the burgeoning community of British artists. After departing from the Society of Painters in Watercolour, Holmes became a founding member of the Society of British Artists in 1824, eventually ascending to the presidency in 1829. This period of his life was characterized by a prolific output of portrait commissions that captured the essence of the era's social strata, ranging from the tender depictions of infant children to the dignified likenesses of the aristocracy.
One of the most enchanting chapters of Holmes’s life was his personal connection to King George IV. Their bond transcended the typical boundaries between artist and patron, rooted in a shared, fervent passion for music. The two were known to engage in collaborative musical performances, a friendship that brought a unique intimacy to Holmes's portraiture of the monarch. This royal patronage not only elevated his social standing but also provided him with a window into the opulent, often theatrical, world of the Regency period.
As the decades progressed, Holmes’s work continued to leave an indelible mark on the history of British art through several key achievements:
Technical Mastery: The seamless integration of his engraver's precision into his oil and watercolour paintings.
Institutional Impact: His pivotal role as a founding member and president of the Society of British Artists.
Cultural Synthesis: The rare ability to bridge the worlds of fine art and classical music, enriching the cultural fabric of 19th-century England.
Though he eventually retired to the quietude of Shropshire, the legacy of James Holmes remains etched in the delicate details of his miniatures and the enduring charm of his genre scenes. He remains a quintessential representative of the Romantic spirit—an artist who found beauty in both the grandest royal halls and the most intimate, fleeting moments of daily life.
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Look closely
Scent Bottle — James Holmes
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
"Scent Bottle" by James Holmes is proportioned as a square work of 9 x 7 cm.
The colors in "Scent Bottle" by James Holmes have a monochromatic intensity.
Statistics about "Scent Bottle" by James Holmes are on the artwork's Stats page: monthly visits of the artwork, visits of the artist's works, and country and language breakdowns of recent visitors.