Mrs. Philip John Schuyler (Catherine van Rensselaer)

Walter Robertson, Mrs. Philip John Schuyler (Catherine van Rensselaer), ca. 1795, watercolor on ivory, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer, 1999.27.43
Copied Walter Robertson, Mrs. Philip John Schuyler (Catherine van Rensselaer), ca. 1795, watercolor on ivory, image: 3 15⁄16 x 3 1⁄16 in. (10.0 x 7.8 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer, 1999.27.43
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Mrs. Philip John Schuyler (Catherine van Rensselaer)
Artist
Date
ca. 1795
Location
Not on view
Dimensions
image: 3 15⁄16 x 3 1⁄16 in. (10.0 x 7.8 cm)
Credit Line
Bequest of Mary Elizabeth Spencer
Mediums
Mediums Description
watercolor on ivory
Classifications
Subjects
  • Dress — accessory — hat
  • Portrait female — Schuyler, Philip van Rensselaer, Mrs. — bust
  • Portrait female — Schuyler, Philip van Rensselaer, Mrs. — elderly
Object Number
1999.27.43
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1999.27.43

Artwork Description

The marriage of Catherine van Rensselaer (1734-1803) and Philip Schuyler in 1755 united two of the oldest and most prominent families of Albany, New York. Their home, Schuyler Mansion, is now a landmark. “Kitty,” as she was known, was considered quite a beauty in her youth, but here she is a much older woman. She gave birth to fifteen children, three of whom were born after she had turned forty years old.