Artwork
Mrs. Winfield Scott
Mrs. Winfield Scott is an oil painting by the Hudson River School artist Asher Brown Durand. It dates from 1831 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Painted in 1831, Mrs.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Its meaning is derived from its role as a formal characterization of the sitter, preserving her identity within the historical record of American art.
Executed in 1831 by Asher Brown Durand, this oil on canvas portrait depicts Maria De Hart Mayo, who is identified as the primary subject and the individual known as Mrs. Winfield Scott. As a work within the portrait genre, the painting's iconography is centered on the representation of this specific woman, capturing her likeness for the collection now held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The artwork functions primarily as a documentary record of Mayo's appearance during the early nineteenth century, rather than employing complex allegorical symbolism.
Its meaning is derived from its role as a formal characterization of the sitter, preserving her identity within the historical record of American art.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1831, this portrait utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures approximately 96.4 by 68.6 centimeters. As a formal likeness of Maria De Hart Mayo, the composition adheres to the conventions of early nineteenth-century American portraiture, focusing on the depiction of the female subject.
The medium allows for the detailed rendering characteristic of Asher Brown Durand's approach during this period. While specific details regarding the artist's brushwork, surface condition, or handling techniques are not explicitly detailed in the available records, the fundamental material construction is established as traditional oil on canvas.
History & Provenance
Mrs. Winfield Scott, an oil-on-canvas portrait painted by Asher Brown Durand in 1831, depicts Maria De Hart Mayo. The work is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, classified within the American Wing's portrait collection. While earlier owners are not documented in the sources, the painting's creation and current institutional provenance are established by its dating, attribution, and cataloguing at the Met.
No specific accession or inventory number is provided in the available documentation, and the sources do not record any notable exhibition history for the piece.
Overview
Painted in 1831, Mrs. Winfield Scott is a portrait by Asher Brown Durand executed shortly after the artist transitioned from a successful career as an engraver to oil painting. The work depicts a seated woman in a dark dress, positioned within a red chair with her hands folded in her lap. Durand's composition emphasizes the play of light on specific details, such as the lace collar and a gold ring on her finger, while maintaining a restrained palette.
The painting's smooth brushwork and soft modeling reflect the artist's rigorous training in printmaking, where precise line and tonal control were paramount. This piece serves as a significant early example of Durand's work in oils, demonstrating how his graphic sensibilities informed his approach to portraiture before he became a leading figure of the Hudson River School. The work captures the quiet dignity typical of American portraiture from the period, focusing on the sitter's composure and the subtle interplay of light and texture rather than dramatic narrative or elaborate setting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Asher Brown Durand spent his life in the rolling hills of New Jersey, where the forests and farmland shaped his quiet, deliberate way of seeing.
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