Cameo of a Gentleman 1847 - 1850

Erastus Dow Palmer fashioned this cameo of a gentleman out of plaster, and its small size suggests it was intended for private display, for the adornment of a domestic interior. We can think about this cameo in relation to the history of portraiture and its role in constructing social identity. Who were these cameos for? Well, this was a period in American history when the middle class was rising in prominence and wealth. In the absence of an aristocracy, one way for the middle classes to display their newly acquired social standing was to emulate the tastes and fashions of the European gentry. As such, we can read this artwork as a manifestation of nineteenth-century American social climbing. The historian's job is to reconstruct these complex social and institutional contexts. For example, period newspapers might tell us how Americans regarded European fashions. The history of museums can tell us how artwork becomes socially meaningful. When we bring such resources to bear, artwork becomes a rich source for historical insight.