1734
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Portrait of a Woman (Judith Colman Bulfinch?) is a 1734 unspecified by John Smibert, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a woman with a low bodice and a long neck. She's dressed in fancy clothes, with a gentle smile. The artist used a lot of detail to make her look real, which was new in America at the time. The woman's clothes and pose suggest she's from a wealthy family. The artist likely painted her to show off his skills, which he learned in Europe. You can learn more about this style by looking up the technique of chiaroscuro.
The appearance of a professionally trained British painter in the American colonies in 1729 marks a curcial point in the history of American art. Smibert not only imported the skills necessary to convey the impression of substantial, rounded forms in a picture, but his commercial success also inspired others to contemplate careers as painters. Born in Edinburgh and schooled in London and Italy, Smibert attracted numerous clients upon his arrival in Boston. The low bodice, long neck, and sinuous curl of hair in this portrait follow British conventions for depicting women. Research continues as…
Read the full account in the museum source.
John Smibert (24 March 1688 – 2 April 1751) was a Scottish-born painter who specialised in portrait painting and was the first academically trained artist to work in British America.
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