Portrait of Mrs. John Earnest Poyas (Catherine Smith, 1769–1836)
oil
From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
oil
From the collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
The painting depicts a woman in a black dress with a white ruffled collar and a white bonnet. She is seated, with her right hand resting on her lap, and her left hand holding a small white object. The background of the painting is a warm, earthy tone. The woman's attire and the style of the painting suggest a formal portrait from the early 19th century. The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and dimensionality in the painting. To learn more about the artist's work, look up Samuel Finley Breese Morse.
![Mrs. Pearson [possibly Sarah Thompson Pearson]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/0006ffde77661f8c/thumb.webp)
