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.