Joel Roberts Poinsett

Edward Greene Malbone

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Joel Roberts Poinsett (1779-1851) was a statesman—the first United States minister to Mexico—author, and botanist. He introduced to this country the Mexican flower later named for him: Euphorbia pulcherrima, commonly known as poinsettia. Malbone also portrayed Poinsett's sister, Susan, and Hugh Bridport (q.v.) portrayed Poinsett in later life.

The American Wing

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The American Wing's ever-evolving collection comprises some 20,000 works of art by African American, Euro American, Latin American, and Native American men and women. Ranging from the colonial to early-modern periods, the holdings include painting, sculpture, works on paper, and decorative arts—including furniture, textiles, ceramics, glass, silver, metalwork, jewelry, basketry, quill and bead embroidery—as well as historical interiors and architectural fragments.

Metropolitan Museum of Art