Artwork
Mrs. Harlow A. Pease
Mrs. Harlow A. Pease is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Erastus Salisbury Field. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Erastus Salisbury Field painted this oil on canvas portrait around 1837. The work depicts a seated woman in a dark, modest dress with a high lace collar and a matching cap, holding a small book in her left hand. The composition is set against an unadorned dark backdrop, directing attention to the sitter’s features and attire.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, identified as Mrs. Harlow A. Pease, is presented with a calm expression and neatly pulled‑back hair, suggesting a dignified, restrained demeanor typical of early‑19th‑century portraiture. The inclusion of a book may allude to literacy or personal piety, common virtues emphasized in domestic portraiture of the period.
Technique & Style
Field renders the lace collar with fine, tactile brushwork, highlighting the texture of the fabric against the smoothness of the dress. The painting employs a subdued chiaroscuro, using the dark background to model the figure’s face and clothing through subtle shifts of light and shadow, creating a three‑dimensional presence without elaborate setting.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1837, the portrait entered the documented record as a representation of Mrs. Harlow A. Pease, though details of its ownership after its completion are sparse. The work remains a representative example of Field’s portrait practice in the New England region during the early nineteenth century.
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Artist & collection
