Ann Elliott Morris
c. 1800
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; bequest of Herbert Leldon Kirk in memory of his wife, Ruth Chapman Kirk
Accession Number
S/NPG.95.116
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the delicate miniature portrait of *Ann Elliott Morris*, created by an unidentified artist around 1800. This intimate painting captures the poised likeness of a woman in a fashionable bonnet, evoking the refined elegance of early American life at the turn of the th century. Miniatures like this were cherished personal treasures—small-scale works often painted in watercolor on ivory, designed to be worn as jewelry carried close to the heart, preserving a loved one's image long before photography became commonplace. As a snapshot of Federal-era portraiture, the artwork highlights the cul...