Who painted Portrait of a Young Woman?

Portrait of a Young Woman was painted by Mather Brown in 1801.

Where can I see Portrait of a Young Woman?

Portrait of a Young Woman is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Young Woman?

Portrait of a Young Woman is associated with American Folk Art.

Artwork

Portrait of a Young Woman

Mather Brown , 1801

Portrait of a Young Woman is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Mather Brown. It dates from 1801 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This oil on canvas depicts a young woman seated at a piano, her hands gently resting on the keys.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting portrays a young woman (or girl) seated alongside a piano, as indicated by the depicted elements of girl, piano, portrait, and woman.

The painting portrays a young woman (or girl) seated alongside a piano, as indicated by the depicted elements of girl, piano, portrait, and woman. The inclusion of the piano situates the sitter within a musical context, highlighting her engagement with music as a marker of refinement and genteel accomplishment typical of early-nineteenth-century portraiture. Together, these elements convey a representation of feminine accomplishment and domestic refinement through the visual cue of the instrument.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1801 by Mather Brown, this portrait is an oil painting on canvas support. The work measures 127 centimeters in height and 102.2 centimeters in width. Stylistically classified as a genre portrait, the composition features a young woman as the primary subject, accompanied by a piano within the scene.

The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specifically within its American Wing. While the specific handling of the brushwork and the current physical condition of the paint layer are not detailed in the available records, the fundamental materials and dimensions establish the work's formal presence as a large-scale figurative study from the turn of the nineteenth century.

History & Provenance

The Portrait of a Young Woman was painted in 1801 by the Anglo-American artist Mather Brown, executed in oil on canvas and depicting a seated young woman beside a piano. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently housed and catalogued as part of the American Wing. No earlier owners or commission details are recorded in the available sources, so the known provenance begins with its creation and its subsequent acquisition by the Met.

Overview

This oil on canvas depicts a young woman seated at a piano, her hands gently resting on the keys. She is dressed in a white gown accented by a blue sash, with her dark hair styled upwards. Soft light filters through a window positioned behind her, illuminating the scene. The artwork is housed within the American Wing, suggesting its origin within American art history.

Mrs. Billington (1765/1768-1818) as Saint Cecilia, George Romney

Artist & collection

Artist

Mather Brown

Mather Brown (baptized 11 October 1761 – 25 May 1831) was an American painter who was born in Boston, Massachusetts and was active in England.

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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