Mrs. Thomas Fuller (Mary Fuller) 

This is Mrs. Thomas Fuller, painted by Samuel Morse with oil on canvas. Looking closely, you can see that Morse has used delicate brushwork, a technique where the artist applies paint in thin, almost transparent layers to create luminous effects. This was a hallmark of academic painting at the time. Note the precision in rendering Mrs. Fuller's lace bonnet and the soft drape of her shawl. This attention to detail, which would have been painstaking, speaks to the labor and skill involved in producing such a likeness. However, painting portraits was also a business. Morse's paintings were more than just about capturing a person's appearance; they were about class and social standing. The very act of commissioning a portrait was a statement of affluence, a visual marker of status within the community. Considering the time, the materials used, and the social context, this portrait embodies how art, craft, and commerce are deeply interconnected. It challenges us to look beyond the surface and consider the many layers of meaning embedded within the artwork.