Artwork
Woman Holding a Book
Woman Holding a Book is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Erastus Salisbury Field. It dates from 1835 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a medium documented in both the artist’s catalog and the museum’s collection records.
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a medium documented in both the artist’s catalog and the museum’s collection records. It measures 75.7 centimeters in height by 60.5 centimeters in width, reflecting the standard dimensions reported for the work. The brushwork and surface handling indicate a conventional 19th-century portrait technique, with fine detail applied to the sitter’s attire and the book she holds.
The composition emphasizes frontal engagement, typical of formal portraiture in the period, while the rendering of facial features displays a naturalistic approach characteristic of Field’s mature style. The canvas support remains stable, showing no signs of deterioration in the condition report.
History & Provenance
The portrait Woman Holding a Book was painted by Erastus Salisbury Field in 1835.
The earliest documented owner was David Stockwell of Wilmington, Delaware, who sold the work in 1954 to collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Upon the latter’s deaths, the painting entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., by bequest in 1980.
Woman Holding a Book is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The painting entered the museum's holdings in 1980 through a bequest from Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch. Prior to this acquisition, the work was sold by David Stockwell of Wilmington, Delaware, to the Garbisches in 1954. Earlier records indicate the piece originated in Massachusetts. No specific exhibition history or inventory accession numbers are provided in the available records.
Overview
Erastus Salisbury Field’s oil on canvas, dated around 1835, depicts a seated woman holding a small, red‑bound book. The composition is dominated by a dark, unadorned backdrop that isolates the figure, allowing her calm yet serious expression to command attention. Light falls on her face and the book, emphasizing the contrast between illuminated detail and surrounding shadow.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, presented with neatly pulled back light‑brown hair and a modest dark dress beneath a wide white lace collar, appears engaged in quiet study or contemplation. The red‑covered volume, edged in gold, suggests personal literacy or a valued text, hinting at the cultural importance of reading for women in early‑19th‑century America.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
