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Young Lady with a Fan by Gansevoort Limner, The

Gansevoort Limner, The · 1737

This portrait, "Young Lady with a Fan," by the Gansevoort Limner from 1737, offers a direct window into colonial American life.

The painting captures a young woman in refined attire typical of the period. Her delicate green gown and white under-shirt, accented with red lacing, showcase the fashion sensibilities of 1737. Notice the folded fan, a common accessory signifying genteel leisure, and the book and key on the table beside her, suggesting her domestic responsibilities and perhaps literacy.

The Gansevoort Limner, an anonymous regional portraitist active in the early 18th century, skillfully used chiaroscuro to give depth to the figure. While the artist's identity remains a mystery, the work itself is a testament to the emerging middle-class values of the time, where modest yet refined presentation was key to social standing.

What details in her surroundings speak most strongly of her life?

Details

This painter captured her delicate green gown and white under-shirt.
This painter captured her delicate green gown and white under-shirt.
Her hands hold a simple, folded fan, a common accessory.
Her hands hold a simple, folded fan, a common accessory.
On the table, a book and key suggest her domestic role.
On the table, a book and key suggest her domestic role.
Transcript

This young woman lived in America, in 1737. This painter captured her delicate green gown and white under-shirt. Red lacing was a popular detail for women's fashion in this era. Her hands hold a simple, folded fan, a common accessory. On the table, a book and key suggest her domestic role. The simple date, 1737, anchors her to that specific year.