C.Cooke

C.C. Cooke probably spent more time adjusting hats than painting them—this 1807 print of Mrs. Litchfield shows Cooke’s knack for turning lace collars and coiled hair into visual gossip. A milliner’s daughter herself, she liked to sneak ribbons and rosettes into the backgrounds of portraits, like tiny trophies. See how the light catches the buckle on Mrs. Litchfield’s sleeve; that’s Cooke’s signature—one little sparkle to make the whole room feel alive.