Mary Elizabeth Francis, the Artist’s Daughter

Media - 1972.52 - SAAM-1972.52_1 - 4168
Copied 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
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
Mediums Description
oil on canvas
Classifications
Keywords
  • Animal — cat
  • Portrait
  • Dress — accessory — hat
  • Portrait female — Francis, Mary Elizabeth — child
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.