Portrait of the Artist's Mother (Lydia Wardwell Smith)
1804
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1804
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This painting shows an older woman in profile, wearing a dark dress with a white lace cap and bow at her neck. Her hair is pulled back neatly, and the dark background makes her face stand out. The lighting highlights her wrinkles and the texture of her lace collar. The artist focused on her mother’s quiet dignity, using soft shadows to show depth. This style was common in portraits from that time. Next, check out chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create mood in paintings.
