Images(2)

Portrait of a Woman

DateProbably 1830-1835

Attributed to Rufus Porter (1792-1884)

OriginAmerica, New England (probably)

MediumWatercolor and ink on wove paper

DimensionsPrimary Support: 4 x 3in. (10.2 x 7.6cm) and Framed: 8 x 7in.

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1958.300.15

DescriptionHalf-length, full face, portrait of a woman facing slightly to her left. She wears a rust colored dress, off the shoulder, and has a sash around her neck held by an oval pin. The sash is decorated in red, yellow and blue stiches. The facial features are delicately rendered and shadowed with minute brush strokes, in a somewhat academic manner. However, the ear is flat and shapeless, giving away the artists lack of academic training. The woman has blue eyes, a pink mouth, brown eye brows and brown hair held in place with two tortoise or horn combs. She also wears and earing. Pencil guidelines along two edges. Probably original a-inch molded walnut frames with gilt inner liners.
Label TextFull-face poses presented a greater challenge to many artists and were more time-consuming and thus more expensive than "side-views" or profiles. An 1815-1820 handbill of Rufus Porter's indicates that he charged three times as much for the former as the latter. Although Porter seems to have been offering full-face likenesses as early as 1820-1825, the pose appears infrequently in his work before 1830-1835. This unidentified man and his companion (accession no. 1958.300.14), whom Porter also portrayed full-face, are fairly convincingly rendered. Yet the artist betrayed his reliance on habit and formula in the treatment of their ears, which are still depicted in full profile.

MarkingsNone found
ProvenanceJ. Stuart Halladay and Herrel George Thomas, Sheffield, Mass. Halladay died in 1951, leaving his interest in their jointly-owned collection to his partner, Thomas. Thomas died in 1957, leaving his estate to his sister, Mrs. Albert N. Petterson, who was AARFAM's vendor.