Mothers and Daughters of the Revolution

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Mothers and Daughters of the Revolution
Q1. How do the portraits presented here differ from one another? What factors might account for those differences?
The portraits differ a lot from one another. This is because of the diverse ways in which the women are depicted. These depictions pay attention to attire, background, facial expression and socio-economic status. Mercy Warren’s portrait emphasizes on her high status in society through the rich fabric she is depicted wearing in the portrait (DuBois & Lynn 127). The picture reveals femininity with the plants shown to interlace her fingers said to represent fertility since the portrait was painted between her two children’s births. Phillis Wheatley and Elizabeth Freeman are both depicted in traditional servant attire in their portraits. Wheatley, depicted as an African American servant dedicating her poems to her master, sits at a study table with pen and paper appearing to be in deep thought (DuBois & Lynn 130). Freeman who spent her life in servitude is depicted with a blank stare ahead of a dark background in an opposite depiction of Warren revealing her low status. Jemima Wilkinson is depicted in traditional religious attire and dress code. This allows the audience to understand her life as a prophetess and the high moral values she upheld.
Q2. How realistic are the portrayals of the women in these portraits? Are portrayals by professional artists more or less accurate, do you think, than the portrayals by amateur artists?
The portraits of the revolutionary females accurately depict the lives and characters of the women.

Singleton elegantly brings out the beauty in Warren’s portrait through attention to attire, nature, and posture revealing himself as a fine painter. Wheatley is content with Scipio Moorhead’s depiction of her for the Countess of Huntington revealing the artist’s attention to detail the character. Freeman’s portrait displays her with a stern expression even with the valuable items she is depicted to adorn (DuBois & Lynn 131). Wilkinson’s portrait clearly outlines the dress code for religious individuals of her time with her desire to wear male clothing. Deborah Sampson is depicted in an oval center with feminine clothing despite her desire to dress in male attire. There is United States’ army influence with a bird displayed in the background holding up the oval center supporting it with its legs on the ground, with a crest with stars and stripes at the middle (DuBois & Lynn 132). This picture by Joseph Stone found on the front page of Sampson’s biography draws links to Sampson’s time in the army.
Q3. What roles do dress, props, and background play in defining the characteristics of the sitter?
The dressing is important in defining the characteristics of a sitter such as in Singleton’s depiction of Warren in the rich fabric in elegant trimmings (DuBois & Lynn 127). This reveals the high status linked to the character of Warren. Sedgwick’s depiction of Freeman with a vivid blue dress and a gold necklace reveals a shift in lifestyle for Freeman from the life of slavery to a paid servant, earning the freedom to earn (DuBois & Lynn 131). The Countess of Huntington determined to identify the actual identity of Wheatley as a slave poet led to the painting depicting Wheatley seated at a study table with a pen and paper (DuBois & Lynn 129). Freeman’s portrait depicts her in a blue dress with a gold necklace attempting to reveal as Sedgwick viewed, her freedom from the role of a slave to a paid servant (DuBois & Lynn 131). Furthermore, even Sampson is depicted in female clothing despite her masquerading as a male officer wearing male attire.
Works Cited
DuBois, Ellen C, and Lynn Dumenil. Through Women’s Eyes: An American History with Documents. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2009. Print.