Edward Coverly 1807 - 1815

Here, we see Edward Coverly, immortalized in watercolor on ivory by Henry Williams, sometime in the early 19th century. Consider the sitter's gaze, which meets yours evenly. His clothing, with its high white collar, speaks to the dandyism of the Regency era. Williams, as a Black artist, navigated a society deeply stratified by race and class. Commissions painting portraits of the white elite provided him not only with a livelihood, but a place in society. These small portraits were often tokens of affection, or mementos of the sitter. This work invites us to consider the complex dynamics between artist and subject, and reflect on how portraiture could offer a space for both representation and negotiation in a society marked by inequality. The intimacy of the piece conveys something of the relationship between the sitter and the artist, opening a space for a dialogue with the past.