Mrs. James Merrill Cook 1840

"Mrs. James Merrill Cook" is an 1840 portrait by American artist Nelson Cook. The oil on canvas painting features a woman in a delicate lace shawl against a dark background. She stands in a three-quarter pose with her arms crossed, holding a large straw hat with a silken bow, a common 19th-century fashion accessory for women. The painting's realism and focus on details capture the elegance and refinement of the subject. The portrait now hangs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. This portrait is a fine example of American portrait painting of the early 19th century.