Portrait of Ann Barbara Hill Medlycott 1788

Benjamin West painted this portrait of Ann Barbara Hill Medlycott using oil on canvas. Oil paint is a forgiving medium, but its smooth surface belies its rich associations. Note the fine details: the lace trimming her sleeve, the pearls around her neck, the silky blue fabric of her dress. All these elements speak to Medlycott’s wealth. But let’s also consider the labor required to produce these material effects. Lace making, for example, was a highly skilled and time-consuming craft, often done by women working long hours in difficult conditions. Pearls would have been harvested by divers, an equally arduous and dangerous job. West’s painting is a record of Medlycott’s status, but also, indirectly, of the labor that made her lifestyle possible. It’s a reminder that even the most seemingly straightforward image can tell a complex story about material culture and social relations.