Portrait of a Lady
Unidentified
1800
Medium
Painting-Miniature
Classification
Painting-Miniature
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Edith Coon Carr
Accession Number
1966.4.2
Tags
hatbustelderlyprofile
About this artwork
In the 1780s, women began wearing large mobcaps, which were made out of gauze or net. In this miniature the woman’s ruffled cap covers her entire head and has a large mauve bow in the front and a smaller one in the back. The artist portrayed the woman in profile to highlight the diamond earring that twinkles against her shawl. Her slight smile suggests she expected to be admired for her jewelry, which symbolized her wealth and status.
About the Artist
Unidentified ( ) · –