Artwork
Mary Ann Garrits
Mary Ann Garrits is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Frederick R. Spencer. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Spencer was one of the first Americans to make a living from portraits like this, quiet, honest, and without fancy props.
A young woman in a dark dress looks straight at you, her hands folded in her lap. Soft light touches her face and collar, leaving the rest of the room in shadow.
This portrait was painted in 1834, when most artists still worked in Europe. Spencer was one of the first Americans to make a living from portraits like this, quiet, honest, and without fancy props. The way he handles light and shadow gives her face a gentle glow.
If you like this quiet style, look up the subject portraits, women.
Technique & Style
Frederick R. Spencer painted Mary Ann Garrits in 1834 using oil on canvas. The portrait measures 83.8 by 66 centimeters. As a work of American portraiture from the 1830s, the painting exemplifies the conventions of early nineteenth-century American portraiture in its formal depiction of a female sitter.
The oil medium on canvas support was standard for professional American portrait painters of this period, allowing for smooth finish and detailed rendering of facial features and costume. The work is classified in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Frederick R. Spencer executed the oil-on-canvas portrait of Mary Ann Garrits in 1834. The work measures approximately 33 by 26 inches (83.8 by 66 cm). While the specific circumstances of its commission and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not enumerated in the available records, the painting is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art within its American Wing.
The piece is classified as a genre portrait depicting a woman, consistent with Spencer's output during this period.
Mary Ann Garrits, painted by Frederick R. Spencer in 1834, is an oil on canvas portrait that belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum lists the work within its American Wing collection, indicating its inclusion among designated American paintings. The painting’s physical dimensions are recorded as 83.8 cm in height and 66 cm in width.
No exhibition records are cited in the consulted documentation, and the sources do not provide an explicit accession or inventory number for the piece. Consequently, the known provenance is limited to its current location and classification within the museum’s holdings.
Overview
Frederick Randolph Spencer painted Mary Ann Garrits in 1834, an oil on canvas portrait. This work exemplifies the American folk art tradition, depicting a woman with a direct gaze. Spencer, an American artist, was born in Lenox, New York, in 1806 and passed away in Wampsville, New York, in 1875. The painting is a significant example of early American portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait features a young woman, Mary Ann Garrits, seated and looking directly forward. Dressed in a dark garment, her hands are gently folded in her lap. Spencer's approach emphasizes a straightforward depiction of the sitter, characteristic of the era's emerging American aesthetic. The composition avoids elaborate settings, focusing instead on the individual's presence.
Context
Created in 1834, Mary Ann Garrits emerged during a period when many artists still sought training and patronage in Europe. Frederick Randolph Spencer was among the pioneering American painters who successfully established a career solely through portrait commissions within the United States. His work reflects a growing demand for locally produced art that captured the likenesses of American citizens.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frederick Randolph Spencer (7 June 1806, Lenox, New York - 3 April 1875, Wampsville, New York) was an American portrait painter.
- Mrs. James Mackie
Portrait of Lady
Amparo Romero
Portrait of Charlotte Story Forrester
Portrait of Petronella de Lange, Wife of Theodorus Frederik van Capellen
Portrait of Doña Inés N. de Aldao
Maria Gansevoort Melvill (Mrs. Allan Melvill)
Cecilia Lindroos (os. Meyer) nuorena.
Portrait of Maria Antoinette Charlotte Sanderson, Wife of Johan Fraser
Mrs. John Biddle (Eliza Falconer Bradish)
Portrait of Mrs Clementson
Portrait of Sophia S. Kiselyova (1801-1875)