Artwork

Mrs. Edward Kellogg

Mrs. Edward Kellogg, by Samuel Lovett Waldo, oil, 1832
Mrs. Edward Kellogg, by Samuel Lovett Waldo, oil, 1832

Mrs. Edward Kellogg is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist Samuel Lovett Waldo. It dates from 1832 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

You see a woman in a dark dress sitting sideways in a wooden chair, her hands folded in her lap.

The artists painted her face so smoothly you can’t see brushstrokes, almost like a photograph, but made in 1832. The light on her cheek and collar is soft, while the rest of the room stays in shadow.

Look up other American portraits from the same time at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing, where it is classified as a portrait within the museum’s collection of American art.

The work is a portrait titled Mrs. Edward Kellogg, painted by Samuel Lovett Waldo in 1831. It portrays a woman, identified by the title, and follows the conventions of early‑American portraiture, rendering the sitter in oil on a wooden panel measuring approximately 84.8 × 64.5 cm. The painting is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing, where it is classified as a portrait within the museum’s collection of American art. As a portrait, the piece serves to record the sitter’s appearance and to suggest her social standing within the early‑19th‑century elite.

Technique & Style

The portrait was executed in oil paint on a wooden panel, a medium typical of early‑19th‑century American portraiture. The work measures approximately 84.8 cm in height by 64.5 cm in width, as recorded in the Metropolitan Museum of Art catalog. Waldo’s handling of light and brushwork produces a crisp modeling of the sitter’s features, while the muted palette and fine detailing reflect the neoclassical formal conventions of the period.

The surface retains its original support without evidence of later transfer, and the painting remains in stable condition within the museum’s climate‑controlled display. Its composition emphasizes a dignified pose and direct gaze, characteristic of elite domestic portraiture of the 1830s.

History & Provenance

Samuel Lovett Waldo painted Mrs. Edward Kellogg in 1831, executing the work in oil on wood panel. The portrait entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is now displayed in the American Wing. While the sources record the artist, date, medium, and present location, they do not mention any earlier owners, commission details, or subsequent transfers, so the known provenance begins with its creation and its current residence at the Met.

The portrait Mrs. Edward Kellogg by Samuel Lovett Waldo, created in 1831, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Classified within The American Wing, the work is executed in oil on wood panel. While specific accession numbers are not detailed in the provided records, the painting is documented as part of the museum's permanent holdings.

The artwork measures 84.8 cm in height and 64.5 cm in width. No specific exhibition history or prior loan records are cited in the available sources, though its classification within the American Wing suggests it is likely displayed as part of the museum's core 19th-century American art presentation.

Overview

Samuel Lovett Waldo's 1832 oil painting, Mrs. Edward Kellogg, presents a formal portrait of its namesake sitter. Executed on a wooden panel, this work is part of the American Wing's collection, offering insight into early 19th-century American portraiture. The painting captures a specific individual, reflecting the era's demand for personal likenesses and contributing to the visual record of the time.

Context

Mrs. Edward Kellogg exemplifies the tradition of American portraiture during the early 19th century. Artists like Waldo often focused on capturing individual likenesses with a degree of naturalism and formal presentation. This work can be examined alongside other American portraits from the period within The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection to understand the prevailing artistic conventions and stylistic developments of the era.

Mrs. Gideon Tucker
Mrs. Gideon Tucker, William Sidney Mount

Artist & collection

Portrait of Samuel Lovett Waldo

Artist

Samuel Lovett Waldo

Samuel Lovett Waldo (1783–1861) was an American artist, born in Windham.

Frequently asked questions

Who painted Mrs. Edward Kellogg?

Mrs. Edward Kellogg was painted by Samuel Lovett Waldo in 1831–32.

Where can I see Mrs. Edward Kellogg?

Mrs. Edward Kellogg is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Mrs. Edward Kellogg?

Mrs. Edward Kellogg is associated with American Folk Art.