Artwork
Mrs. Joseph Cooper (Mary Justice)
Mrs. Joseph Cooper (Mary Justice) is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist James Peale. It dates from 1797 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This miniature portrait, created in 1797, depicts Mrs.
About this work
James Peale painted this portrait of Mrs. Joseph Cooper in 1797, working in watercolor on ivory. She wears a cap and a pendant. The thin washes on ivory let Peale build up depth and texture, lending real subtlety to her expression.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1797, this miniature portrait by James Peale is rendered in watercolor on ivory, a refined support favored for small-scale likenesses of the period.
Executed in 1797, this miniature portrait by James Peale is rendered in watercolor on ivory, a refined support favored for small-scale likenesses of the period. The work measures 7.3 by 5.8 centimeters, a compact format consistent with Peale's specialization in cabinet miniatures. The sitter is depicted wearing a cap, lace, fichu, shawl, and pendant, with the delicate handling of the watercolor medium allowing for the precise rendering of these textile details. The piece is classified within the Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing collection.
History & Provenance
The watercolor on ivory miniature is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it forms part of The American Wing collection. The work is catalogued within that department as a portrait miniature by James Peale. No specific accession number is recorded in the available documentation, and no exhibition history is documented in the provided sources.
Overview
This miniature portrait, created in 1797, depicts Mrs. Joseph Cooper, identified as Mary Justice. Rendered in watercolor on ivory, the artwork captures the sitter's likeness, showing her adorned with a cap and a pendant. The artist's skillful application of the medium imbues the piece with a notable sense of depth and subtle texture, characteristic of the period's refined portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
This intimate portrayal features Mrs. Joseph Cooper, also known by her maiden name, Mary Justice. The sitter is depicted wearing a cap and a pendant, common elements in late 18th-century portraiture that often conveyed social standing or personal adornment. Such miniature portraits were frequently commissioned to preserve the image of loved ones or to serve as personal keepsakes, reflecting the importance of individual identity during the era.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Peale (1749 – May 24, 1831) was an American painter, best known for his miniature and still life paintings, and a younger brother of noted painter Charles Willson Peale.
