Juliette Gordon Low
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America; frame conserved with funds from the Smithsonian Women's Committee
Accession Number
NPG.73.5
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
Born Savannah, Georgia
Art Historical Context
This 1887 portrait by British painter Edward Hughes presents Juliette Gordon Low as a poised young woman from Savannah, Georgia. Depicted with a delicate fan and bracelet against a rural backdrop, the work captures Low in her early adulthood, well before she founded the Girl Scouts of the United States of America in 1912. Hughes’s refined approach highlights her social standing and personal elegance during the Victorian era. The painting holds particular significance as a record of Low’s formative years. Later honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, she would go on to create one of the nation’s most influential civic organizations for girls, emphasizing leadership, outdoor skills, and community service. Its presence in the National Portrait Gallery underscores Low’s lasting impact on American history. Donated by the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, with its frame conserved through support from the Smithsonian Women’s Committee, the portrait serves as both a personal likeness and a tribute to her enduring legacy.