Mrs. Ebenezer Porter (Lucy "Patty" Pierce Merwin)
1804
oil
From the collection of Brooklyn Museum
1804
oil
From the collection of Brooklyn Museum
This portrait features a woman seated in a chair, wearing a gray dress with white lace trim. She has dark hair and is adorned with earrings and a ring. The background is dark, with a column and a window visible behind her. The woman's attire and hairstyle suggest an early 19th-century setting. Her dress is intricately detailed, with a ruffled collar and cuffs. To learn more about the artist's use of chiaroscuro, a technique that emphasizes contrasts between light and dark, explore the works of Ralph Eleaser Whiteside Earl.
