Sarah Homes Tappan 1814

Curator: It’s amazing, isn’t it? The quiet intensity. Editor: It's definitely striking. A little severe, maybe? Tell me about her. Curator: This is Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Sarah Homes Tappan, painted in 1814. Stuart was really the master of American portraiture during that period. Editor: He certainly captured something of her...presence. Her gaze is so direct, unwavering. The painting seems to really embrace both neoclassicism and romanticism. The clothing lines have a beautiful geometric appeal with a great degree of Realism present. There is a quiet intensity but an intensity that I feel would quickly flare into loud discussion. The face is carefully observed, almost ruthlessly so. Curator: Right! I think that "ruthless observation" is spot-on. You know, these portraits of wealthy families, the Tappans were a particularly influential merchant family, weren’t really about idealized beauty. They were about status, conveying character, strength and almost certainly also wealth through carefully chosen visual cues like the clothing, composition and direct engagement with the viewer. Stuart was more concerned with depicting her personality and what he felt was in her heart rather than embellishing a sitter's beauty. Editor: I see what you mean. It's fascinating how portraiture serves as a record, not just of appearance, but also of social structures and aspirations. The slight upward lift of her eyebrows seems ready to release all judgement and wrath that she may harbor. There is something there! Curator: Absolutely. And the slightly muted palette almost adds to that sense of understated power. Nothing ostentatious, but a clear message: “I am someone of substance." A little severe and with so much history implied! It makes you wonder what Sarah Homes Tappan thought about as the colonies were attempting to truly embrace republicanism. Editor: So true. You start pondering who these people were. Curator: It really gets you thinking beyond the image! Editor: A window into another time. Exactly.