William Ely (1767–1847), B.A. 1787 Yale University Art Gallery

ca. 1785

The delicacy and modesty of William Ely’s portrait distinguishes it from the spirited works of other Continental painters. Here, Ely is depicted at the beginning of his career. He studied medicine before becoming a successful shipping merchant in the East India trade. Described as a cosmopolitan man, he was ﬂuent in Dutch and lived in Holland and its East Indian colonies.

Medium: Watercolor on ivory
Dimensions: 2 9/16 × 2 1/16 in. (6.5 × 5.2 cm)
Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. Maud Ely Gibbons
Accession Number: 1953.39.1
Geography: Made in United States
Culture: American
Period: 18th century
Classification: Miniatures
Disclaimer: Note: This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect the Yale University Art Gallery’s complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of records is ongoing.

Object copyright

No Copyright - United States

Additional information

Object/Work type

lockets, miniatures (paintings), portraits

Subject

Federalist Party men

Technical metadata and APIs

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