Mrs. Reverdy Johnson 1840

Thomas Sully painted this portrait of Mrs. Reverdy Johnson with oils, and the subject is adorned in neoclassical garb. The white dress, reminiscent of ancient Greek tunics, and the red shawl draped around her recall the garments of Roman senators. This intentional revival links her to the virtues of those ancient societies: wisdom, courage, and civic duty. The red shawl, a symbol of power and status, also connects her to the tradition of draped figures in classical art. Think of the flowing robes in Raphael's frescoes in the Vatican, or even the way Renaissance painters depicted the Virgin Mary. The red shawl provides a visual echo of their presence and emphasizes Mrs. Johnson's importance. The classical symbols here aren't linear. The cyclical journey of these images, their ability to resurface and be reshaped across time, underscores the enduring power of symbols to evoke emotions and ideas, and leave their deep mark in the cultural memory.