Artwork
Mrs. Phillip Nicklin (Julianna Chew)
Mrs. Phillip Nicklin (Julianna Chew) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Stephen James Ferris. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in plate: Gilbert Stuart Pinxt; lower right in plate: Phila S J Ferris aquaforti 1880; lower center support in graphite by unknown hand: "Mrs. Philip Nicklin" (Julianna Chew) / from the original in the possession of her granddaughter / Mrs. Charlotte Dallas Morrell. / Philadelphia.
About this work
Overview
Stephen James Ferris’s 1880 etching, titled Mrs. Phillip Nicklen (Julianna Chew), presents a monochrome portrait of a seated woman. Rendered on laid paper, the image concentrates on her face and upper torso, set against an unadorned background that emphasizes the subtle gradations of light and shade.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays Julianna Chew, identified as Mrs. Phillip Nicklen, captured in a moment of quiet repose. Her composed posture, with hands resting on a dark surface, and the modest attire suggest a dignified domestic presence, reflecting the conventions of portraiture in the late nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Ferris employed the etching process, incising fine lines into a metal plate before printing onto paper. This method allowed him to achieve delicate tonal variations, especially in the rendering of the ruffled collar and the smooth modeling of the face, while maintaining a crisp, linear quality characteristic of the period’s printmaking.
History & Provenance
Created in 1880, the print forms part of Ferris’s body of work in the United States during a time when etching was gaining popularity among American artists. The piece has been documented in collections that focus on nineteenth‑century portrait prints, though specific ownership details remain limited.
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