My Poor Sweet Little Angelica

Spencer employs a limited graphite palette, relying on simple linear contours and subtle shading to model the face. The drawing’s surface shows a modest gradation of tone, reminiscent of the sfumato approach, where edges are softened to create a delicate atmospheric quality without extensive detail.

Created in the early nineteenth century, the piece reflects Spencer’s practice of producing modestly scaled portrait drawings for private circulation. Its survival on wove paper indicates careful handling, though specific ownership records prior to its inclusion in the present collection are not documented.