Sarah Inman Linzee (Mrs. Joseph Lewis Cunningham) (1787-1820) 1807

Editor: This is Gilbert Stuart's portrait of Sarah Inman Linzee. The soft palette makes her look so gentle. What do you see in this piece, beyond her beauty? Curator: It's the kind of portrait that whispers stories, isn't it? The reddish tint seems to bring a tender mood. Do you notice how the cascading red shawl draped over her arm adds warmth and perhaps a touch of her personality to the painting? Editor: It does seem to give her a little more life, a little bit of color. Curator: Exactly! I see a woman presented with grace and quiet confidence. It makes me wonder what her life was like. The artist, Stuart, seemed to invite us to look beyond the canvas and into the subject's inner world. Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way, but now I see it too! Thanks!