Artwork
Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr. (Anna Church)
Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr. (Anna Church) is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Louisa Catherine Strobel. It dates from 1830 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This intimate watercolor depicts Anna Church, also known as Mrs.
About this work
Technique & Style
(Anna Church) is executed in watercolor on a thin ivory support, a technique that creates a luminous surface suited to miniature portraiture.
The portrait of Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr. (Anna Church) is executed in watercolor on a thin ivory support, a technique that creates a luminous surface suited to miniature portraiture. Measuring approximately 7 × 5.1 units (as recorded in the museum catalogue), the work depicts the sitter wearing a cap, fichu, and neckerchief with a jeweled earring, emphasizing contemporary genteel dress. Strobel’s handling of delicate washes produces fine delineation of fabric folds and subtle shading of facial features, while the composition remains tightly framed, focusing attention on the sitter’s profile.
The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under The American Wing’s portrait genre.
History & Provenance
The work titled Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr. (Anna Church) was created in 1830 by Louisa Catherine Strobel as a watercolor on ivory portrait. Its commission likely arose from the Strobel family’s social circle, reflecting the sitter’s status within early‑American elite circles. After its execution, the piece remained in the family, passing to Ella Church Strobell, who later transferred ownership to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it now resides in The American Wing.
The work’s dating aligns with the 1830 inception recorded in its metadata, and its creation is documented as a portrait genre piece depicting a woman adorned with a cap, fichu, neckerchief, and earring.
Legacy
The portrait of Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr. (Anna Church) by Louisa Catherine Strobel, painted in 1830, has come to symbolize early American portraiture within the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing, where it is preserved as part of the museum’s permanent collection; its inclusion reflects scholarly recognition of the artist’s role in early 19th‑century portraiture and the work’s continued relevance in studies of women’s representation in antebellum art. Documentation in Wikidata and museum records underscores its enduring presence in public collections and academic discourse.
Overview
This intimate watercolor depicts Anna Church, also known as Mrs. Daniel Strobel Jr., rendered in delicate pigments on ivory. Intended to be worn as a personal keepsake, the miniature captures the sitter with a direct gaze, her features softly illuminated, framed by a dark cap tied under her chin and a white neckerchief knotted at her throat. It belongs to a collection housed in the American Wing.
Context
During the 1830s in America, miniature portraits served as cherished personal mementos, often worn as jewelry, similar to a locket. While the profession of painting such small-scale works was largely dominated by male artists, Louisa Strobel distinguished herself as one of the few women who successfully established a career and earned a livelihood through her artistic practice in this specialized field.
Artist & collection
Artist
Louisa C. Martin, née Strobel (1806–1883) was an American painter of portrait miniatures. She was the daughter of a US diplomat and was born in Liverpool while her father Daniel Strobel was assigned there. On the…
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