Anne Fairchild Bowler (Mrs. Metcalf Bowler)

It entered the collection as a gift in 1968 from the estate of Louise Alida Livingston, the daughter of the original owners.

The painting entered the Bowler family through inheritance from Robert Bonner Bowler, the sitter's grandson, and remained in the possession of his descendants Susan Louisa Pendleton Bowler and later her daughter Louisa Foote Bowler Livingston. Following Louise Alida Livingston's death in 1967, the work was gifted to the National Gallery of Art in 1968. This chain of ownership is documented through multiple generations of the Bowler family, with records indicating inheritance from the sitter's grandson and subsequent transfers to his daughters.

The work was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in 1968, as reported in contemporary coverage of the acquisition.

The painting Anne Fairchild Bowler (Mrs. Metcalf Bowler) is held in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and is recorded in the museum's collection with the accession number 1968.10. It entered the collection as a gift in 1968 from the estate of Louise Alida Livingston, the daughter of the original owners. The work has been exhibited in the National Gallery's American painting galleries, including a notable 1968 exhibition reported in The New York Times announcing the museum's acquisition of its tenth Copley painting.

Painted in 1763, John Singleton Copley's portrait of Anne Fairchild Bowler depicts the sitter seated in a three-quarter view, exuding the quiet dignity characteristic of his pre-Revolutionary American portraiture. The composition centers on Bowler, who wears a dark blue silk gown with delicate lace trim at the neck and sleeves, topped by a white cap that frames her face. In her right hand, she holds a fan, while a bouquet of flowers rests on her lap, adding a touch of natural color to the otherwise somber palette.

Her jewelry, consisting of pearl earrings and a necklace, catches the light, drawing attention to her status and refinement. The background is subdued, featuring a dark curtain and a hanging lamp that recede into shadow, ensuring the viewer's focus remains on the subject's expression and attire. Executed during the height of Copley's career in Boston before his departure for England, this work exemplifies his mastery of texture and his ability to convey the character of his colonial patrons through precise observation and restrained elegance.