Susan Walker Morse (The Muse)

About this artwork

This full-length portrait depicts Susan Walker Morse, the eldest daughter of Samuel F. B. Morse, painted between 1836 and 1837 when she was approximately seventeen years old. She sits in an imagined grand setting with a sketchbook in her lap and pencil in hand, her eyes raised in contemplation, embodying the muse-like air that prompted the canvas's informal title. The elaborate composition places the young woman in a theatrical interior with dramatic drapery and classical architectural elements,...

Art Historical Context

Samuel F. B. Morse’s *Susan Walker Morse (The Muse)* captures the artist’s eldest daughter at around seventeen, seated in a grand, imagined interior with sketchbook in hand. Painted between 1836 and 1837, the full-length portrait shows her gazing upward in quiet contemplation, embodying the spirit of artistic inspiration. The theatrical setting, complete with sweeping drapery and classical architectural, elevates the young woman into a symbolic figure of drawing and design. Morse drew on his European training, echoing the rich colors and dramatic compositions of Rubens and Veronese, to create this ambitious work in oil on canvas. Measuring nearly six by five feet, the painting reflects his desire to elevate American portraiture toward the grandeur of history painting. Its scale and lively brushwork demonstrate both technical confidence and emotional warmth. This canvas marked a poignant farewell to Morse’s artistic career. As commercial success eluded him, he turned his energies toward inventing the electric telegraph. First shown at the National Academy of Design in 1837, the portrait received warm praise and remains a moving testament to a father’s pride and an artist’s final, luminous achievement.