Portrait of a Woman

With piercing eyes, prominent brows and a locked, serious gaze, this portrait exhibits classic trademarks of Peck's early Vermont work. Painted on panel and set in half-length against a spare, dark background, the subject's bonnet is embellished with a decorative motif often referred to as a rabbit paw. This rabbit paw embellishes clothing and furniture and recurs throughout Peck's career. Peck began painting portraits of his Vermont neighbors around the time of his marriage in 1824. This powerful portrait relates to early works such as the portraits of Mary Parker Peck (c. 1824), the painter's sister in-law and Mrs. Murray (c. 1825 ) both discussed and illustrated in The Magazine Antiques, Marianne E. Balazs "Sheldon Peck," (August 1975), plate II and figure 4, pp. 273-84.