Artwork
Catherine Greene
Catherine Greene is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist John Singleton Copley. It dates from 1769 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
As a portrait, it functions to record the subject’s likeness and to signal her social position within colonial American society.
The painting presents Catherine Greene as the sitter, rendered in oil on canvas in 1769. As a portrait, it functions to record the subject’s likeness and to signal her social position within colonial American society. The work’s composition and formal qualities align with the conventions of 18th‑century portraiture, emphasizing clarity of likeness and refined attire that denote respectability.
Although specific iconographic details are not documented, the piece operates within the broader tradition of portraying elite sitters to affirm identity and lineage.
Technique & Style
Catherine Greene is an oil painting on canvas, executed in 1769 by John Singleton Copley. The work is classified as a portrait and measures approximately 125.7 cm in height by 101 cm in width. These material and dimensional specifications, along with its identification as an oil-on-canvas portrait, are documented in the Wikidata record for the painting, which also places it in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The sources do not provide further detail on Copley's specific handling of the medium, surface preparation, stylistic approach, or current condition, so those aspects cannot be elaborated here.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Catherine Greene by John Singleton Copley is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, United States. The work was acquired by the museum in 1915 and bears the accession number 1915.527. Painted in 1769, the oil on canvas piece measures approximately 125.7 cm in height and 101.0 cm in width.
Source materials identify the work specifically as a portrait created in the United States, but no specific exhibition history or past display records are provided in the available documentation.
Overview
John Singleton Copley completed Catherine Greene in 1769, an oil painting that exemplifies his early proficiency as a portraitist in colonial New England. This work was created during a period when Copley was establishing his reputation among the region's prominent families. It offers insight into his artistic development prior to his relocation to London, showcasing his meticulous approach to depicting his subjects with both accuracy and a sense of refined elegance.
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Artist & collection
Artist
John Singleton Copley (July 3, 1738 – September 9, 1815) was an American-born British painter active in both the Thirteen Colonies and England.
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