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Mrs. John Nicholson (Hannah Duncan) and John Nicholson, Jr.

A work made of oil on canvas.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of oil on canvas.

Date:

1790

Artist:

Charles Willson Peale
American, 1741–1827

About this artwork

Charles Willson Peale was a prominent figure in the cultural and scientific life of Philadelphia in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He established his own museum dedicated to the arts and natural sciences and helped found the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1805. Mrs. John Nicholson (Hannah Duncan) and John Nicholson, Jr. is a tender portrait of mother and child. The natural backdrop and sprig of flowers in the boy’s hand signal a domestic bond. Mrs. Nicholson’s uncorseted dress and freely coiffed hair (without a wig) likewise speak to the humanistic ideals of the Enlightenment.

Status

On View, Gallery 168

Department

Arts of the Americas

Artist

Charles Willson Peale

Title

Mrs. John Nicholson (Hannah Duncan) and John Nicholson, Jr.

Place

Philadelphia (Place depicted)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1790

Medium

Oil on canvas

Inscriptions

Signed and dated, lower right: "CWPeale/Painted 1790."

Dimensions

91.5 × 69.3 cm (36 × 27 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Carter H. Harrison

Reference Number

1952.1001

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/78507/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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