Portrait of a Woman

Art Historical Context

Behold the delicate *Portrait of a Woman* Anna Claypoole Pe, a masterful 1818 watercolor on ivory measuring just 7.3 × 5.7 cm. As a member of the illustrious Peale family—America's pioneering dynasty of artists—Anna specialized in miniature portraits, a cherished Federal-era tradition. These tiny gems, often worn as lockets or brooches, captured the likenesses of loved ones with astonishing intimacy during a time when photography was decades away. Crafted on polished ivory, the medium lent itself to luminous, translucent layers of watercolor, allowing Peale to render fine facial details, soft...