I know why


So many of the people in portraits at the National Gallery of Art are so serious and even grumpy looking.
But in the case of this portrait of Catherine Bras(s) Yates I understand why she is grumpy.  Not only is he making her look up from her needlework but. . .
the artist, Gilbert Stuart, had the gall to paint in the hairs growing above her lip.  How dare he!

Comments

Alan said…
Faithful representation? Less of a beauty concern back then?

(or attractive trait? Of the few things I took away from War and Peace in junior high was the phrase "downy upper lip," which I guess Tolstoy liked).

Popular posts from this blog

Gelli Plate Tutorial with Leaves

Autumn is for the Birds

Give Away Day