Busts of Two Women
1770–1775
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor Garnier Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-65-12
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection *Busts of Two Women (1770–1775) offers a captivating glimpse into late colonial America, just before the Revolutionary War ignited. Created by an unknown artist, this drawing captures the poised profiles of two women in bust form—a popular format for portraits that emphasized dignity and status. The 1770s were a time of social flux in the American colonies, where such images might have commemorated everyday figures like family members, merchants' wives, or local notables, reflecting the era's growing interest in personal identity amid...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...