Description
Mrs. James Pulham Sr. appears in a black gown and a substantial dark headdress, with a white collar offering a bright contrast near her face. The head turns slightly left against a brown-black background, giving the half-length portrait a concentrated presence. John Constable keeps the dark clothing distinct through varied handling, while the brighter facial tones draw attention to the sitter rather than to the surrounding room.
Painted in 1818 in oil on canvas, the work depicts Frances Pulham, herself an amateur portrait painter. The Metropolitan Museum of Art records her husband’s contemporary appreciation of the likeness and emphasizes its varied brushwork and bright highlights. Those details connect the picture with an actual exchange between painter and sitter’s family, while its visual interest remains concentrated on the living character of the portrait.
Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the John Constable collection.
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