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Eleanor Wyer Foster (Mrs. Isaac Foster) by Badger, Joseph

Badger, Joseph · 1755

This portrait of Eleanor Wyer Foster by Joseph Badger, painted in 1755, reveals a fascinating detail about colonial American art: its canvas.

While Eleanor Wyer Foster sits for her portrait with poise and elegance, adorned with a white lace collar and blue ribbon, the true story lies beneath the paint. Look at the subtle texture of her dark gray dress; it hints at the very fabric it was painted on.

Joseph Badger, like many artists in pre-Revolutionary America, often had to make do with what was available. With few dedicated art suppliers, he used an unusual material: bed ticking. This durable fabric, typically used for mattress covers, served as a practical and readily accessible canvas.

This choice of material not only speaks to the resourcefulness of colonial artists but also makes Badger's work a unique historical document, reflecting the conditions of art production in 18th-century Boston. What does knowing this change about how you see the painting?

Details

She wears a delicate lace collar and blue ribbon.
She wears a delicate lace collar and blue ribbon.
Look closely at the texture of her dress.
Look closely at the texture of her dress.
Artists often painted on whatever fabric they could find.
Artists often painted on whatever fabric they could find.
Transcript

This quiet portrait holds a secret material. She wears a delicate lace collar and blue ribbon. Look closely at the texture of her dress. This painter used an unusual canvas: bed ticking. Pre-Revolutionary America had few art suppliers. Artists often painted on whatever fabric they could find.