Mrs. Sylvanus Bourne

Description

In Mrs. Sylvanus Bourne, John Singleton Copley portrays an older woman in a white bonnet and pale cape over a brown silk dress. Painted in 1766, the portrait brings her face forward against a dark background, with pale cloth across the lap continuing the lighter tones below. The clothing creates a formal setting for the sitter without diminishing the individuality of her expression or the solidity of her presence.

Portraiture allows even small distinctions to carry meaning. A transition of light across the face, the character of a garment or the relationship between hands and body can establish both likeness and composure. Copley’s carefully organized presentation gives these details room to matter. The work brings a historical sitter into a sustained visual encounter, allowing the conventions of formal painting to support rather than replace the sense of an individual life.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the John Singleton Copley collection.