Artwork
Mrs. Cadwallader Colden
Mrs. Cadwallader Colden is an oil painting by the Baroque artist John Wollaston the Younger. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This oil on canvas portrait depicts Mrs.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Wollaston’s style, characterized by delicate detailing and luminous skin tones, underscores Colden’s elite status within the colonial elite.
The portrait depicts Alice Colden, the wife of Cadwallader Colden, a prominent colonial figure in New York. Painted by John Wollaston in 1749, the work belongs to the portrait genre and emphasizes the sitter’s social standing through refined attire and poised demeanor. Wollaston’s style, characterized by delicate detailing and luminous skin tones, underscores Colden’s elite status within the colonial elite.
The painting’s composition and execution reflect the European-influenced portraiture conventions of the mid-18th century, positioning it as a visual record of colonial identity and social hierarchy.
History & Provenance
Created in 1749 by John Wollaston the Younger, the oil-on-canvas portrait of Alice Colden was executed during the artist's active period in the American colonies. The work depicts Alice Colden, the wife of Cadwallader Colden, and is classified within the genre of portraiture. While the specific commissioning details and original ownership chain prior to its acquisition are not detailed in the provided records, the painting's creation date is firmly established as 1749.
The artwork, measuring 76.2 by 63.5 centimeters, is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it resides in the American Wing. The piece serves as a significant example of mid-18th-century colonial portraiture, capturing the likeness of a prominent New York society figure.
Overview
This oil on canvas portrait depicts Mrs. Cadwallader Colden, a prominent figure from a wealthy New York family. She is shown seated, directly engaging the viewer with a composed expression. The artist meticulously rendered the details of her elaborate attire and the chair, conveying a sense of her social standing and the period's fashion. This work is housed in The American Wing.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting demonstrates a careful attention to detail, particularly evident in the intricate folds of Mrs. Colden's dress and the ornamentation of her chair. The artist's approach to rendering textures and forms aligns with stylistic characteristics found in the work of contemporaries such as John Wollaston, emphasizing a direct yet refined portrayal of the sitter.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Wollaston (fl. 1742 – 1775) was an English painter who specialised in portrait painting and was active mostly in British North America. He was one of a handful of painters to introduce English Rococo styles of…
