Elizabeth Price Thomas

The portrait titled Elizabeth Price Thomas was painted in 1834 by Robert Street using oil on canvas. Its dimensions measure 76.2 cm by 63.5 cm. The work entered the Barbour family in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where Lola Diehl Barbour (born 1864) owned it, and later passed to her daughter Edna L. Barbour in Washington, D.C. In 1973 the painting was gifted to the National Gallery of Art, where it remains on view. No record of a commission exists; the painting’s creation is documented only by its dated execution and subsequent ownership chain.

The 1834 portrait by Robert Street entered the National Gallery of Art in 1973 through the bequest of Edna L. Barbour, ensuring its preservation and public access. As part of the museum’s American portrait collection, the work is frequently cited in studies of early American realism and in surveys of Street’s output, underscoring its role in documenting elite New Jersey families. Scholars reference the painting when examining the transmission of portrait conventions from European models to American practice, and its display has helped raise visibility of Street’s contribution to 19th‑century portraiture. The piece is regularly included in exhibitions and catalogues that trace the evolution of American portraiture.

Robert Street's 1834 oil on canvas portrait, "Elizabeth Price Thomas," presents a woman in formal attire. The painting captures the sitter in a contemplative pose, emphasizing her features through a focused use of light. It serves as a representative example of early 19th-century portraiture, highlighting individual identity and social presentation during the period.