Artwork
Mrs. William Wortley Worsley (Rebecca Smith)
Mrs. William Wortley Worsley (Rebecca Smith) is a watercolor painting by the American Folk Art artist Thomas Sully. It dates from 1805 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
The artist used a small, delicate medium to create this portrait, which is interesting because it's on a tiny piece of ivory.
This painting shows a woman with a gentle face. She's dressed in old-fashioned clothes. The artist used a small, delicate medium to create this portrait, which is interesting because it's on a tiny piece of ivory.
The woman in the painting is Rebecca Smith, and she's wearing a fancy hat and a necklace. This was painted a long time ago, in 1805, and it's a good example of how people dressed back then.
You can learn more about this type of art by looking at the work of artist: Thomas Sully.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays Rebecca Smith Worsley, the wife of William Wortley Worsley, as a genteel woman of the early-nineteenth-century American elite. Rendered in 1805 as a watercolor on ivory, the work functions as a conventional portrait that signals the sitter's social standing and domestic virtue. By emphasizing her poised demeanor and refined attire, the image conveys ideals of femininity and moral propriety characteristic of the period, while also serving as a visual record of her family's status.
Technique & Style
Executed in watercolor on ivory, this miniature portrait by Thomas Sully employs a delicate, translucent medium well suited to the small scale of the support. The work measures approximately 6.1 by 3.3 inches, a format characteristic of intimate keepsake portraits intended for personal display. Watercolor on ivory allowed Sully to achieve fine detail and a luminous flesh tone through thin, controlled washes layered over the smooth, pale ground of the ivory, which itself contributes to the sitter's soft modeling.
The handling reflects the refined miniaturist tradition of the period, with precise brushwork defining the features of Rebecca Smith against an understated background. The portrait demonstrates Sully's command of the miniature format and his ability to convey likeness and character within a highly restricted surface area.
History & Provenance
Thomas Sully's 1805 watercolor portrait of Rebecca Smith Worsley is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, classified within the museum's American Wing. The source material confirms the artwork's inclusion in the institution's holdings but does not list a history of public exhibitions or loan records. The portrait, measuring 6.1 by 3.3 inches, remains a permanent fixture of the museum's collection dedicated to American art from the early nineteenth century.
Overview
Thomas Sully's 1805 watercolor portrait, Mrs. William Wortley Worsley (Rebecca Smith), depicts Rebecca Smith. Executed on a small piece of ivory, this work offers a glimpse into early 19th-century portraiture. It is part of The American Wing collection, showcasing a common form of personal art from the period.
The delicate medium and intimate scale were characteristic of such works, providing a detailed yet personal representation of the sitter.
Context
Created in 1805, this portrait exemplifies the popular practice of miniature painting in early American art. These small-scale works often served as personal mementos, cherished by families and frequently exchanged as tokens of affection. The choice of subject and the detailed rendering of her attire also provide valuable documentation of societal norms and fashion trends from the nascent years of the United States.
Artist & collection
Artist
Thomas Sully was an English-American portrait painter. He was born in England, became a naturalized American citizen in 1809, and lived most of his life in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, including in the Thomas Sully…
