Mrs. William Waters c. 1825 - 1830

Ruth Henshaw Bascom created this pastel portrait of Mrs. William Waters sometime in the first half of the 19th century. The composition is striking in its arrangement of simple forms against a muted, blue background. Notice how Bascom used line and shape to define Mrs. Waters. The profile is rendered with delicate, almost geometric precision. The contrast between the dark hair, the stark white collar, and the somber dress creates a visual rhythm that is both formal and expressive. The texture, achieved through the use of pastels, gives a softness to the subject. The formal qualities of this portrait invite us to consider the codes of representation at play, particularly in early American portraiture where simplicity and directness often conveyed virtues of character and social identity. The subdued color palette and flattened perspective work together to present not just an image of an individual, but also an idea of her place within a structured social world. It's in the very act of interpreting these formal elements that we can start to see how art engages with the broader discourses of its time.