Portrait of Cecilia Tower 1889

James Jebusa Shannon painted this portrait of Cecilia Tower in 1889 using oil on canvas. Cecilia is depicted with a pearl necklace, a symbol of purity and status that stretches back to ancient times. This simple adornment, resonant with Venus, goddess of love and beauty, echoes across centuries. Consider Botticelli's Venus, born of the sea, often depicted with pearls—a symbol of her divine perfection. Here, Cecilia's pearls elevate her to a similar status of beauty and grace, linking her to an enduring ideal. Even in the Renaissance, pearls signify not just wealth but a connection to classical ideals. The cyclical nature of symbols demonstrates how motifs evolve, resurface, and adapt, continually engaging our collective memory. The pearls that adorn Cecilia serve as a timeless, potent reminder of beauty, and purity, connecting her to archetypes of the past and engaging viewers on a subconscious level.