Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Lydia Smith, by Gilbert Stuart, circa 1808 - 1810



Lydia Smith (1786, Boston - 1859, Milton). The daughter of a wealthy importer, she had a most excellent education, including time spent studying with Madame Campan in Paris. In 1817 - at the age of thirty-one; rather late for a lady at that time - she married Jonathan Russell, a widower with four children. He was in the foreign service, and they would spent much time abroad, including his stays as chargé d'affaires in Paris, London, and Stockholm. The artistic and musical accomplishments suggested by her portrait by Stuart - who also tutored her - were very real; her skill as an artist was considered nearly professional.

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Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828), the finest and most successful portraitist of the early national period of the United States.  He is, of course, best known for his many portraits of George Washington.






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