Mary Elizabeth Francis, the Artist’s Daughter

John F. Francis, Mary Elizabeth Francis, the Artist's Daughter, ca. 1840, oil on canvas, 36 ⁵⁄₈ x 29 ³⁄₈ in. (93.1 x 74.7 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase and gift in memory of Grace Brereton Sturtevant, the artist’s great niece, 1972.52

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Artwork Details

Title: Mary Elizabeth Francis, the Artist’s Daughter
Artist: John F. Francis
Date: ca. 1840
Location: Not on view
Dimensions: 36 ⁵⁄₈ x 29 ³⁄₈ in. (93.1 x 74.7 cm)
Credit Line: Museum purchase and gift in memory of Grace Brereton Sturtevant, the artist’s great niece
Mediums: oil
Mediums Description: oil on canvas
Classifications: Painting
Subjects: Portrait female — Francis, Mary Elizabeth — child
Dress — accessory — hat
Animal — cat
Object Number: 1972.52
Linked Open Data: https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1972.52

Artwork Description

In this charming portrait of his only daughter, John F. Francis included decorative props such as a floral-patterned carpet, straw hat with scarf, and a kitten. The oval format of the painting evokes the miniatures that nineteenth-century Americans commissioned to preserve the memories of their loved ones. Mary died in 1856, and by the end of the decade Francis had lost all of his immediate family. He survived for another thirty years, perhaps drawing comfort from this beautifully painted image of his daughter.