Wharf Rat
Alfred Jacob Millermid 19th century
The Walters Art Museum
Baltimore, United States
As a child, the artist became familiar with the Baltimore docks located near the Miller family residence on Market Square. He likely would have seen many "wharf rats" like the one in this sketch.
Alfred Jacob Miller was a prolific sketcher. He filled many journals with drawings and captions from the time he was studying in Paris and Rome (1833) until the 1870's. The varied interests of Miller are clearly reflected in these sketches: rural sites, studies after Old Master paintings, illustrations of literature, memories of Baltimore, and comical scenes and characters.
This sketch comes from the family album of L. Vernon Miller, which contains works that have passed down through the Miller family directly from the artist.
- Title: Wharf Rat
- Creator: Alfred Jacob Miller (American, 1810-1874)
- Date Created: mid 19th century
- External Link: For more information about this and thousands of other works of art in the Walters Art Museum collection, please visit art.thewalters.org
- Roles: Artist: Alfred Jacob Miller (American, 1810-1874)
- Provenance: Inherited by L. Vernon Miller, Baltimore [1]; inherited by Katherine B. Miller, Baltimore, 1965; given to Decatur Miller, Baltimore, 1982; given to Walters Art Museum, 1994. [1] passed directly from the artist down through his family.
- Object Type: watercolors
- Medium: pencil, ink, watercolor and wash on paper
- Inscriptions: [Label] Any body's child wharf rat!; [Monogram] At lower left: AJM
- Exhibitions: The Recollections of Alfred Jacob Miller. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1996-1997.
- Dimensions: H: 5 5/8 x W: 4 5/8 in. (14.3 x 11.7 cm)
- Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Decatur H. Miller, 1994
- Classification: Painting & Drawing
- Accession Number: 37.2668
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