Carolyn Mishner 1822 - 1825

This is a miniature portrait of Carolyn Mishner, painted by Hugh Bridport in the 19th century, using watercolor on ivory. The delicate medium of watercolor demands precision. Unlike oil paint, mistakes cannot be easily corrected. The artist would have built up the image through many thin layers, allowing the whiteness of the ivory to shine through, creating luminosity and a sense of depth. The final painting is surprisingly photorealistic for the time period, with the sitter’s skin tones and features meticulously rendered. The gold frame is itself a work of craft, its intricate detailing a testament to the jeweler’s skill, and the sitter’s wealth. The piece would have been worn as a pendant, a token of affection or remembrance. The value we place on paintings like this lies not just in their aesthetic appeal, but in the skills and labor involved in their creation, skills often unjustly separated from the ‘high art’ of painting.