“Anna Dorothea Foster and Charlotte Anna Dick” by Gilbert Stuart

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hello I'm Alison Flavie curator at Rinaldi House Museum of American Art today I'm going to share some news about Renaldo's most recent acquisition which is a portrait of Anna Dorothea Foster and Charlotte Anna dick it was painted from 1790 to 1791 by Gilbert Stuart the painting joins a later Stewart painting in Reynolds collection this portrait of Sally Foster Otis from 1809 one detail that people love about this painting is that Sally was originally painted with her son but Stewart eventually painted him out but over the years an image of his face has emerged through the paint can you see it just to the left of her neck let me tell you about famed American portraitist Gilbert Stuart this is self-portrait from around 1778 when he was about 23 years old if you don't know his name you certainly know his work the United States Mint used one of his many portraits of George Washington for the $1 bill Stewart was born in Rhode Island and had some rudimentary artistic training in the American colonies but seeking better instruction he left for London in 1777 where he studied with the painter to the Royal Court Benjamin West he spent ten years in London Stuart's painting improved immeasurably during his time in London developing a sophistication that was not present in the early works executed in America from London he moved to Dublin Ireland which is where he painted the portrait of Anna Dorothea Foster and her cousin Charlotte Anna dick Anna the daughter of Speaker of the House John Foster is on the right her cousin Charlotte is on the left we know from a receipt that John Foster commissioned portraits of himself and his family members the girls had previously been identified based on an inscription on the back of the painting as Miss dick and Miss Forrester but art historian carrier Bora barratry attributed their identities to miss Foster and mystic based on several pieces of evidence including the receipt and other portraits of the girls the portrait shows the girls dressed in similar ivory dresses with pink sashes they bear a strong resemblance to each other with long golden hair arranged in ringlets blue eyes and pink cheeks ana on the right holds a needlework frame called the tambour and a hook for pulling colored thread through the silk in the frame as she was approaching her debut to society and marriage Abel age this activity identifies her as a refined and accomplished young woman her cousin Charlotte holds a paper with a pattern for the embroidery stewards portrait of Anna Dorothea Foster and Charlotte Anna dick demonstrates just how valuable his training in London had been there is an ease of the handling of paint assure modeling of the figure an innovative approach to composition and a delicate touch with color that confirms that the artist had certainly reached maturity in London