Mrs.Epes Sargent 1764

John Singleton Copley painted this portrait of Mrs. Epes Sargent with oil on canvas in the eighteenth century. Copley was the pre-eminent portraitist of pre-Revolutionary New England. But what are we to make of this image of a woman holding a riding crop in a formal setting? The answer lies in understanding the social and cultural codes of the time. In colonial America, portraiture was a means for the upper classes to display their wealth, status, and social connections. Mrs. Sargent’s elegant dress and refined pose signify her membership in the elite of Boston society. Note the fountain as well as the architectural column in the background. These elements suggest the classical education of the sitter and the cosmopolitan outlook of the artist. To truly understand this painting, we need to delve into the archives, examining letters, diaries, and other period documents. Only then can we fully appreciate the complex social and cultural forces that shaped its creation.