Mrs. John McCluney
ca. 1795
Medium
Painting-Miniature
Classification
Painting-Miniature
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase through the Catherine Walden Myer Fund
Accession Number
1950.12.3
Tags
About this artwork
It is not clear whether this woman is Elizabeth Purviance, who was married to Major John McCluney of Pennsylvania in 1804, or if she is Isabella Shearer of Virginia, who married a John McCluney in 1779. With luck, further research will eventually reveal her identity.
About the Artist
James Peale
James Peale was an American painter born in 1749, the younger brother of the more famous Charles Willson Peale, and a member of one of the most remarkable artistic families in the history of American art. Trained largely by his brother, James worked for many years in Charles Willson's shadow, assisting with portraits and miniatures in the Philadelphia studio before developing his own independent p...