Artwork
Mary Cuthbert (Mrs. James Cuthbert) (?)
Mary Cuthbert (Mrs. James Cuthbert) (?) is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jeremiah Theus. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1765, this oil on canvas portrait is attributed to the Swiss‑American painter Jeremiah Theus. It presents a seated woman identified as Mary Cuthbert, the wife of James Cuthbert, in a domestic setting that combines portraiture with a hinted landscape behind her.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown holding a book, her hand poised near her face, suggesting literacy or piety. She wears a blue dress complemented by a white apron, a modest head covering, a blue ribbon, and a string of pearls, elements that convey both modesty and a degree of social standing.
Technique & Style
The work employs the fine brushwork typical of mid‑eighteenth‑century colonial portraiture, with careful attention to the texture of fabric and the sheen of the pearls. The background features a muted landscape, rendered in softer tones that contrast with the sharper detailing of the figure, aligning the piece with early Romantic sensibilities.
History & Provenance
While the exact date of execution remains uncertain, the painting is dated circa 1765 based on stylistic analysis of Theus’s oeuvre. It has been catalogued under the name Mary Cuthbert (Mrs. James Cuthbert) and continues to be referenced in studies of Theus’s portraiture within the colonial American context.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jeremiah Theus (né Theüs; April 5, 1716 – May 17, 1774) was a Swiss-born American painter, primarily of portraits.
