Portrait of a Woman

About this work

A woman in a dark dress looks straight at you, her face lit softly. Her cheeks are pink, lips red, and skin pale—like a tiny, perfect doll. This is a miniature portrait, small enough to hold in your hand. Anna Claypoole Peale painted these for loved ones to keep close, like a photo today. The sitter’s name is lost, but her face feels familiar, like someone you might pass on the street. To see more tiny portraits like this, look up artist: Anna Claypoole Peale (American, 1791–1878).