Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. James Passmore Smith died in 1888; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1958.
In context
Edwin Greble — James Passmore Smith
The original measures 5 × 4 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, 85 at death.
Painted when the artist was 26. The artist lived to 85. 0 of the 3 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of James Passmore Smith (1803–1888) ▲ this work, 1829 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-passmore-smith-edwin-greble-D43ST2-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Rosy Brown #b6aba1
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 3 works by this artist, of which 1 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 1 of them, with 100.0% of that attention. 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
Edwin Greble — James Passmore Smith
The inscription engraved on this case reads: Edwin Greble to Susan V. Major / 1829. / Painted by Jas. Smith. Edwin Greble (1806–1883) of Philadelphia ran a marble and granite works that produced mantels, cemetery monuments and architectural elements. He had this portrait miniature of himself made as a gift to his fiancée, Susan Virginia Major (1808–1875), whom he married in 1831. The window reveals a complicated braid of Greble’s hair, meant as an intimate reminder of his affection for Susan.
Artist and museum
Born in Salisbury, Zimbabwe
In the delicate, miniature realms of nineteenth-century portraiture, few artists captured the quiet dignity of their subjects with as much grace as James Passmore Smith. Born in 1803 in Salisbury, Rhodesia—a landscape that would later inform his deep appreciation for natural detail—Smith emerged as a master of the small scale. His life and work represent a fascinating intersection of colonial history and American artistic refinement. Though his origins suggest a connection to the burgeoning landscapes of Africa, his creative legacy is deeply rooted in the tradition of American miniature painting, a medium that demanded unparalleled precision and an intimate understanding of human character.
Smith’s artistry was defined by a meticulous devotion to the minute. Operating during an era when portrait miniatures served as precious, portable tokens of affection and status, he understood that his tiny canvases had to carry immense emotional weight. His technique involved the masterful layering of translucent glazes, a method borrowed from the grand academic traditions of Europe. This allowed him to achieve a remarkable luminosity, making skin tones appear supple and fabrics like silk and velvet possess a tactile, shimmering quality. Through the careful manipulation of light and shadow, Smith could breathe life into an oval of ivory, transforming a small piece of organic material into a window onto the soul of the sitter.
The breadth of Smith’s oeuvre is characterized by its remarkable consistency in quality and its ability to capture the social nuances of the early 19th century. His work often focused on the aristocracy and the rising professional classes, providing a visual record of the fashion, grooming, and poise of the age. One can observe his skill in the way he rendered the intricate braids of hair or the subtle textures of a gentleman's cravat, much like his celebrated portrait of Edwin Greble, which served as an intimate gift of devotion. His ability to convey not just a likeness, but a psychological depth, placed him in the lineage of great portraitists who championed naturalism.
While biographical records of his early training remain somewhat elusive, the influence of neoclassical masters is unmistakable in his compositions. The works of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Lawrence can be felt in his pursuit of an ethereal yet grounded realism. His repertoire, which includes approximately 300 portraits, showcases a versatile command over both watercolor on ivory and occasional oil applications. This versatility allowed him to navigate the demanding requirements of the miniature format, ensuring that every brushstroke contributed to the overall narrative of the subject's identity.
Today, the works of James Passmore Smith are cherished by institutions such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Yale University Art Gallery. These collections preserve his contributions to American art history, allowing modern viewers to reconnect with the sentimental and social complexities of the Victorian era. His portraits serve as more than mere likenesses; they are historical artifacts that document the evolution of portraiture from a grand, public statement to an intimate, private communion.
The enduring appeal of Smith’s work lies in its ability to transcend its diminutive size. To look upon a Smith miniature is to experience a sense of discovery, finding vast landscapes of emotion within a few square inches of ivory. His career stands as a testament to the power of detail, proving that the smallest of canvases can hold the most profound of human stories.
artsdot.com/en/art/download/james-passmore-smith-edwin-greble-D43ST2-en/
Look closely
Edwin Greble — James Passmore Smith
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.
The color that stands out most in "Edwin Greble" is rosy brown (#b6aba1). The dominant color is useful when matching an artwork to an interior.
"Edwin Greble" by James Passmore Smith shows a monochromatic color intensity.
Works similar to "Edwin Greble" are listed on the artwork's Similars page.