Artwork
Mrs. Teakes
Mrs. Teakes is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Anne Teakes. It dates from 1812 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mrs.
About this work
A woman in a white cap tied with a blue ribbon looks straight out, her dress plain, her cheeks softly pink. The watercolor on ivory is tiny, made to be held in the hand. Anne Teakes painted her twice, first in 1812 and again in 1827, the later version softer.
Subject & Meaning
Teakes depicts a woman in early nineteenth-century attire, including a cap, fichu, shawl, and ribbon, conveying the fashion and social status of the period.
The portrait Mrs. Teakes depicts a woman in early nineteenth-century attire, including a cap, fichu, shawl, and ribbon, conveying the fashion and social status of the period. The fichu and shawl suggest modesty and respectability, while the cap indicates a married woman’s status. The miniature format underscores the intimate, personal nature of the work, typical of portraiture designed for private circulation among family or close acquaintances. These elements collectively emphasize the sitter’s identity and social role within early American elite circles.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in watercolor on an ivory support, as noted in the catalog entry. Its dimensions measure approximately 10.2 cm in height by 7.5 cm in width, recorded in the museum’s data. The piece functions as a portrait, depicting a woman adorned with a cap, fichu, ribbon and shawl, elements that define its formal composition.
The medium is identified simply as a painting, consistent with its classification within The American Wing. No additional handling or condition details are provided in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
The portrait Mrs. Teakes was created in 1819 by Anne Teakes as a watercolor on ivory depicting a woman wearing a cap, fichu, ribbon, and shawl. The work is classified as a portrait and is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. While the sources record its date, medium, and current institutional holding, they do not provide information about any original commission, earlier owners, or subsequent provenance transfers.
The watercolor miniature Mrs. Teakes by Anne Teakes has been held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art since its acquisition. Its inventory number is 1975.1.2446, assigned upon entry into the museum’s collection. The work has not been recorded in major traveling exhibitions; its exhibition history remains limited to the museum’s permanent holdings in New York.
Overview
Mrs. Teakes is a miniature portrait executed in watercolor on ivory, presenting a woman with a direct gaze. She wears a white cap secured by a blue ribbon, her dress is unadorned, and her cheeks are subtly flushed. These small-scale works were typically designed for intimate viewing, often held in the hand, serving a personal commemorative purpose akin to early photography.
Artist & collection
