Artwork
Mrs. George Burroughs (Mary Fullerton)
Mrs. George Burroughs (Mary Fullerton) is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Anson Dickinson. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
A woman in a black dress, her white lace cap tied under her chin. Tiny brushstrokes on ivory make her skin glow. Anson Dickinson painted this miniature in 1828 in watercolor on ivory, small enough to hold in the palm. The thin sheet lets light through, softening the face.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Mary Fullerton Burroughs, the wife of George Burroughs, rendered by Anson Dickinson in 1827 using watercolor on ivory.
The portrait depicts Mary Fullerton Burroughs, the wife of George Burroughs, rendered by Anson Dickinson in 1827 using watercolor on ivory. The subject is shown wearing a headdress, a detail consistent with fashionable female portraiture of the period. As a miniature portrait, the work emphasizes the individual’s likeness and social status rather than conveying overt symbolic content.
The composition focuses on a straightforward representation of the sitter, aligning with the conventions of early 19th-century American portrait miniatures, which prioritized clarity and personal identity over allegorical or narrative elements.
Technique & Style
The portrait of Mary Fullerton is executed in watercolor on ivory, a miniature format that required a delicate, controlled handling of pigment over a smooth, luminous ground. The small-scale support, measuring approximately 9 by 6.2 centimeters, is consistent with the conventions of early nineteenth-century American portrait miniatures, where translucent washes were built up in fine layers to model the sitter's features and to capture the subtle tonalities of skin and hair. The work is classified within The American Wing and is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The medium and dimensions underscore the intimate, jewel-like character typical of Anson Dickinson's portrait practice.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Mary Fullerton Burroughs was created in 1827 by American miniaturist Anson Dickinson, executed in watercolor on ivory. According to the museum record, the work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is displayed in The American Wing. The sources do not record any earlier owners, commissioning circumstances, or intermediate provenance; thus the documented ownership chain begins with the Met’s acquisition.
The dating is firmly established by the artist’s inscription and the museum’s accession data, confirming the work’s execution in the year 1827.
Anson Dickinson's 1827 watercolor on ivory portrait, Mrs. George Burroughs (Mary Fullerton), is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified under The American Wing. The provided sources do not specify an inventory or accession number for the work, nor do they record any details regarding its exhibition history.
Overview
Painted in 1828 by Anson Dickinson, Mrs. George Burroughs (Mary Fullerton) is a miniature portrait executed in watercolor on ivory. The work depicts Mary Fullerton facing forward, her gaze directed squarely at the viewer. She wears a black dress and a white lace cap secured beneath her chin, a style typical of early 19th-century American fashion.
Dickinson utilizes the translucent quality of the ivory support to create a luminous effect in the sitter's complexion, a technique characteristic of the miniature tradition. The composition is intimate and focused, relying on fine, precise brushwork to render the textures of the lace and fabric against a neutral background. As a prominent American limner, Dickinson specialized in these small-scale portraits, often created for personal keepsakes or family albums.
This piece exemplifies his mature style, balancing formal dignity with a delicate rendering of light and texture. The work stands as a representative example of American portrait miniatures from the late 1820s, capturing the aesthetic preferences and social conventions of the period.
Context
Miniature portraits like this one served a significant social function during their era. Often commissioned as intimate mementos, they were exchanged among family members or close acquaintances as tokens of affection or remembrance. Their small size made them easily portable, allowing individuals to carry images of loved ones with them.
Artist & collection
Artist
Anson Dickinson (19 April 1779 – 9 March 1852) was an American painter of miniature portraits who achieved fame during his lifetime, producing a very large number of works, but who is now largely forgotten.
