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.
- Title
-
Mary Elizabeth Francis, the Artist’s Daughter
- Artist
- Date
- ca. 1840
- Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- 36 5⁄8 x 29 3⁄8 in. (93.1 x 74.7 cm)
- Credit Line
-
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Museum purchase and gift in memory of Grace Brereton Sturtevant, the artist’s great niece
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- oil on canvas
- Classifications
- Keywords
-
- Portrait female – Francis, Mary Elizabeth – child
- Dress – accessory – hat
- Object Number
-
1972.52
- Palette
- Emoji
- Linked Open Data
- Linked Open Data URI
